Unlove You
by ZacEfronFiction
Summary: Sequel to The Music In Me.The gang have graduated and gone their seperate ways but the after-shocks of graduating and the damage done mean everyone has a tough time trying to move on.Troy,Shar,Gabs,Ryan,Taylor,Chad will all return with new characters! :
1. Prologue

_**Prologue**_

A twenty-seven year old Troy Bolton ran a shaky hand over his unshaven, stubbly chin. A haunted look clouded his piercing blue eyes.

He sat rigidly on the edge of a king-sized bed in a big, highly decorated bedroom with his elbows resting on his knees and his chin in his hands. He looked down at the cream coloured carpet. He blinked silently; lost in deep, troubled thought.

He wore a light blue shirt with all the buttons done, revealing a rippling six pack and perfectly tanned athletes body with boxer shorts. A strand of his sandy coloured hair flopped down into one of his eyes. He didn't bother to brush it back.

A female hand with all the fingernails painted black stretched out from behind him and placed a possessive hand over his bare chest. Troy barely flinched. He was too immersed in his own problems. The hand travelled lower and lower down his body when suddenly; Troy's hand snapped into action and stopped the woman's hand an inch short of his boxers. He stared down at the hand and then lifted it up to his mouth; kissing it tenderly.

Gabriella Montez's face appeared over his shoulder from behind him, revealing the hands to be hers. She smiled a sleepy smile and wrapped both her arms around her husband from behind; hugging him closely to her chest. She placed a kiss on his shoulder.

"It's 5AM." She yawned. "Get back in bed."

"I can't sleep." Troy replied, not smiling.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Gabriella queried; now frowning a little.

"No."

With that, Troy slid out of her arms and stood up. He began to button up his shirt and deliberately looked everywhere in the room but at Gabriella.

"You're going to see her, aren't you?" She asked, pulling the covers up to her chest to cover herself.

Troy didn't reply but turned around to pick up his pants from a chair. He began pulling them on.

"Troy?"

Troy turned around as he zipped up his jeans and this time; his eyes met hers. She looked at him with a worried expression on her face.

"I-I'll come with you." She stated determinedly.

"Why?" Troy frowned. "She's been back for a week now, Gabriella. She hasn't left her house. She's got paparazzi and fans who've barricaded her in. I haven't had a chance to talk to her alone."

"Why do you need to talk to her alone?" Gabriella frowned this time. A hint of anger was clear in her voice.

"What, you don't trust me?" Troy queried with a grimace.

The morning had started off beautifully. He had woken up in bed with his wife who was loving and attentive. Yet, he had been the complete opposite. He had been cold, complacent and inattentive. To Gabriella, it almost seemed like he had wanted a fight to break out between them. Now, the way he posed that question, that ever important question about trust in their relationship – she was realising that a fight was exactly what he was angling for. He could be so damned stubborn.

"I trust you." She replied firmly. Troy nodded slightly at this.

"Good."

He turned to their wardrobe and slid it open; taking out a black leather jacket and then closed it again. He pulled on the jacket as Gabriella watched. He turned away from her and headed out into the hallway.

"Troy!"

He stopped and turned back to her as she called out to him. She sat up in bed now; hugging the covers around her and looking at him expectantly. He looked back at her; blinking in confusion as she silently continued to stare at him.

"What?" He asked.

"My kiss?" She frowned as she said it; annoyed that she should have to remind him.

"Oh." His expression softened and he walked back into the room. Gabriella leaned up to kiss up. He took her hand into his own, bent down to her face and kissed her cheek and then kissed her hand before letting it go again. Gabriella looked up at him in confusion and disappointment. Troy quickly looked away and then hurried out of the room.

Laying naked in bed, Gabriella decided the only thing worse than being in a situation where you were in a loveless, sex-focused marriage that you were desperately trying to make work was being in a loveless, sex-focused marriage that you were desperately trying to make work but your husband's ex comes back into the picture. That was when you had to realise that it wasn't going to work. That was when you had to realise that you had to let him go. That was when you had to let the only good thing in your life go. That was when you had to admit you had made a mistake. But could she afford more mistakes in her life?

* * *

"People Magazine called about your cover shoot for next week and Oprah wants to re-schedule the interview set for next week."

Sharpay blinked at Ella, her publicist; a thin-framed woman with stylishly cropped black hair who sat before her in a white blouse and black skirt with a clipboard in one hand and an electrical organiser in the other. Sharpay sat opposite her dressed in a light pink designer mini dress with a Louis Vuitton bag at her feet which had a small, white fluffy dog inside it. The dog pawed at the sides of the bag; licking the zipper.

"Now, I know you said you wanted to rest up this weekend before you make any public appearances but it is New York Fashion Week." Elle stated firmly. "A red carpet appearance or two at one of the shows might not go amiss, you know."

"No." Sharpay shook her head decidedly.

Ella rolled her eyes at this.

"Why do you have to be so stubborn?" Ella sighed. "I'm paid to do this. I know what's best for you and your image here."

Sharpay's face darkened and a cold look glazed over her eyes at Ella's remark about knowing what was best for her. Ella noticed this change in the blonde girls' demeanour and bit her bottom lip.

"You're not going to fire me like you did with your housekeeper, Henrietta, are you?" Ella half-joked. "It's just, the old Sharpay that I knew never let her feelings get in the way of business."

"My feelings are not getting in the way." Sharpay snapped through gritted teeth. The way Ella talked to her would not be a way many of the people who worked for Sharpay would speak to her mainly because they didn't have the balls to step out of line. Ella was ballsy. It was that pushy and confident trait in her publicists' personality that had ensured Sharpay success. Sharpay needed someone like that on her front lines even if Ella tried her patience at times.

"Really?" Ella raised an eyebrow. "Did you or did you not fire Henrietta because she brought back memories of your senior year in high school? Most pointedly Gabriella Montez's pregnancy?"

"I fired her because she gave me pulp in my juice." Sharpay grimaced. "You make a mistake around me and you're gone. It's how I work."

"Whatever you say." Ella rolled her eyes once again; snapping her electrical organiser closed and getting to her feet. "I'm heading out for lunch. You're welcome to come with me."

"With the camera crews out there?" Sharpay raised an eyebrow. "No thank you. I'll order in."

"Fine." Ella sighed. "Hole yourself away from the world. Make the public forget about you. Become another D-list celebrity who has to resort to reality TV shows for attention."

"Don't be so melodramatic." Sharpay snorted, unimpressed. Ella laughed a little at this and left the room. As she did, Troy Bolton stepped in, passing by her as he did. Ella pursed her lips at him as she walked by but didn't comment. Troy gave her a meek smile before heading into the room. Sharpay was bending down to pick her dog out of the bag. She held the small dog up close to her face; making kissy faces at it as she did. Troy watched her and a smile crept across his face; his eyes twinkling.

"I think that's the most love I've seen you show any creature this year." He mused, breaking the silence.

Sharpay's head snapped up to look at him. Her expression hardened as she placed the dog in her lap.

"Well, you weren't with me for eight of those months." She shot back.

Troy nodded a little in agreement at this as he walked into the room and then took a seat where Ella had been seated before.

"I guess I wasn't." He shrugged. "But it's not like you gave me a choice to be with you. You didn't give anyone a choice. You just left."

"People leave." Sharpay shrugged back. "Deal with it."

Her eyes locked onto his as she spoke these words. The deep-rooted meaning in them sunk in. Sharpay had spent the last week she had been back in her world in Los Angeles thinking about the past. In fact, the past was all she ever thought about these days. The drama, the pain, the mistakes... all of them trapped in the past where she could do little to influence them now. It drove her mad. It made her bitter. All those 'what ifs...' swirling around her head.

Troy had also been having similar flashbacks as he thought back over the years of his turbulent relationship with Sharpay Evans. The night before, he had been remembering what had happened nearly ten years ago at an airport... he had been out of breath, his head had been dizzy, he had felt sick... he had been desperate... the world had been spinning... people bustled past him as they went on with their busy lives... yet his world seemed to stop as he looked out onto the runways and saw her plane take off... The regret, the pain... it was still something he tortured himself over to this day. He understood Sharpay's pain of wanting to turn back time and change the past.

When Sharpay Evans now spoke of people leaving; he knew perfectly well what she was reminding him of.

"So why do people come back?" Troy asked.

Sharpay looked at him and a small smile crept across her face as he waited for an answer. Troy swallowed hard. Was she going to tell him that it was his fault again that she had left? Was he supposed to have stopped her again this time at the airport? Had it been some sick test of loyalty that he had now inevitably failed? Yet, how could he have stopped her leaving this time when he hadn't even known of her intentions to leave? Then again, this was Sharpay Evans. She was a difficult person who demanded difficult things.

"People come back, Troy..." A lingering smile played on her lips. "When they realise that there are some things you just can't run away from."

Sharpay continued to smile as Troy looked at her with confusion.

"OK." He nodded, taking this in. "So tell me, Sharpay, what do people run away from?"

"Oh..." Sharpay sighed, dramatically leaning back on her chair. "People have all sorts of dirty little secrets."

Troy's eyes narrowed in suspicion at this. Sharpay smirked at him; she was clearly enjoying making him wonder what had made her disappear for all of those months. Troy could no longer take the anticipation.

"What secrets did you have, Sharpay?" He asked; narrowing his eyes.

Sharpay's smile disappeared and that cold, distant look snapped into place in her eyes. She frowned a little.

"Who said I had secrets?" She asked innocently. "People have secrets, sure." She shrugged. "But I'm not just another person, am I?"

"When are you going to stop playing these games and just tell me what's going on with you?" Troy snapped; losing his patience; anger blazing in his eyes.

"I'm not playing." Sharpay shot back through gritted teeth. "If I was, I'd be having fun. Believe me; I haven't had fun in a long time."

Troy shook his head; barely listening to her. He got to his feet, overwhelmed by his own emotions. The biggest feeling he had was disbelief. He felt like years of trust and communication had just been destroyed between him and Sharpay. He remembered times when the two were inseparable, when they were so close that they no longer felt like two separate people but rather; one person with one heart, one mind... they used to be so connected and that connection had taken years to establish. Of course, that connection hadn't been there for a long time now. It was like it had been severed over night, it had happened so instantaneously that he felt like he had just blinked and she had changed. Troy hadn't changed. He still felt that connection. He still felt that love. It was her who had changed. He had tried to get her to open up and lend a listening ear but she had just cut herself off emotionally from him, he had tried to give her her space and she had ended up disappearing leaving him and her family fearing something horrible had happened to her.

Why had he married Gabriella Montez? That was a whole other minefield that he didn't want to uncover just that moment but the gist of it was that after Sharpay left without a word; he felt emotionally destroyed, he became vulnerable and Gabriella became a natural rebound – a rebound that hit him so hard it led to marriage. Now Sharpay had suddenly returned and Troy knew the feelings were still there. The first moment their eyes had locked on that red carpet outside her house with the people and photographers surrounding them – that one look told him everything. The Sharpay he knew and loved was still in there somewhere. That was when the weight of his decisions fully hit him. He had married Gabriella Montez. That was why he was having sleepless nights. He was realising that he wanted Sharpay back but he had got himself into deeper problems by marrying Gabriella. He had come here today hoping that the time apart from Sharpay had maybe changed Sharpay. Maybe that old girlfriend of his, the one he had once wanted to marry, the one he had stepped into the limelight of fame with would be there and the cold, unfeeling alien inhabiting her body would be gone. He had been wrong. This conversation was proving it.

"What happened to us?!" He breathed out loud in an incredulous tone. Sharpay looked at him; frowning as she stroked her dog.

"How-how can you sit there and treat me like I'm nothing?" He glared. "I-I've messed up. Senior year, yeah, I know – not my finest hour. But let's not forget that French dick you almost married? Who saved you at the altar that day?"

"He wasn't a dick, he was an artist." Sharpay frowned as the memories returned to her.

"And your first year at UCLA? When you were supposed to be mine you-"

"Supposed to be yours?!" Sharpay's eyes widened in anger. "Don't you dare act like what happened at UCLA was all my fault. Do you know how lonely I was coming to a new town, a new college... While you got to play happy families with Gabriella? I guess history repeats itself because that's exactly what you're doing now."

"You have no idea what I'm doing with Gabby right now." Troy shot back furiously.

"No, I guess I don't." Sharpay nodded; grimacing. "Do you?! I mean, from where I'm standing, Troy, you...you guys are a joke."

Troy's blood ran cold as the sharp truth in her words which he already knew sliced through his heart. Despite the fact that he knew what she had said was true, he still felt angry and unwilling to admit it to her.

"From someone whose repeatedly stabbed me through the heart over the years, Shar... you really do not get to stand there and belittle my relationship with Gabriella." He stated through gritted teeth; shaking his head. "You don't get to say anything. We're done here. I owe you nothing. You don't get a say in my life anymore."

The finality in Troy's words caused Sharpay to falter a little. It had been years... years of ups and downs... years of tears and anguish... but somehow, they both always came back to one another. Not ever had either of them given up on their relationship. Not once had either one of them put their hands up and decided enough was enough. Now, that was exactly what Troy seemed to be doing. Ten years of chasing each other, then getting each other, then having some drama or other crop up, then one of them screwing up... but over that decade they had always ended up back in each others arms. No matter how turbulent times got, they found solace in one another in the end. Tears stung at her eyes as she took in these words.

"We're done then." She nodded, putting on a brave face. "Good."

"I'm sick of this." Troy uttered. "This... it was the final straw. I-I came here today to get some answers, maybe even some closure on our past... I came back for you. I wanted you, Shar."

A tear rolled down Troy's cheek. Sharpay frowned at him; tears running down her own cheeks also but she barely seemed to notice them.

"Then go." She stated through gritted teeth. "I was sick of the drama too. I want out. I want it over. I want it done."

As she spoke the words, she knew she didn't believe them herself. She knew that it was her who was causing this. The pain that she now felt as Troy sadly and silently turned away and headed out of the room was of her own doing. She had made this happen. She had cut him off. She had thrown back his acts of kindness by continuously breaking his heart – not that he had been so innocent himself over the years. Yet, he had always opened his heart to her and laid out his soul before her. He had always been so... approachable. So willing. She had been difficult. When times got hard, she cut herself off. She became the ice queen all over again.

Now, as she sadly ran a hand over her dogs' head; her mind replayed Troy's last words to her._ "I came back for you. I wanted you, Shar."_

The words made her recall another memory in her past. It was the year she left Albuquerque after graduation. The day before she had taken her flight; Troy had been there in her bedroom telling her that she had to go without him. Telling her those exact same words – that he would come back for her. He would come back for her.

Yet, that day when she had left her hometown for LA still haunted her. It was an important turning point in her life. It was when the feelings of distrust and betrayal cropped back up again within her. She no longer felt willing enough to give a whole one hundred percent of her soul and heart to Troy because she had already done that during high school and in the end; he had ended up smashing her heart and soul into pieces by not being there for her that day. That was the day she put her guard up. That was the day she stopped believing in miracles.

No feeling of pain could quite compare to the one of anxiously sitting in an airport's departure lounge and secretly feeling deep down that your knight in shining armour would come. He would come. Then the call for you to board your flight would come and as you stood in the queue with other passengers; you believed deep down that he was there – somewhere – running through that airport, rushing, frantic and that he would reach you at the very last moment. Then the very last moment would come and you would realise he wasn't going to rescue you. He wasn't going to make everything alright. He was going to leave you there to hurt. To feel that pain that just burrows deep inside of you and never really goes away. Even when he called you a whole week later when you were in LA and told you he had tried to meet you at the airport and that he hated the way the two of you had parted... you didn't really quite believe him. His words weren't as powerful as his actions would have been.

As Sharpay contemplated this; she sighed out loud.

"He did come back for me though." She mused out loud. "He kept his word. Not that it mattered."

It was true. She had gone to LA alone and he had stayed in Albuquerque but he had tried, he had tried and he had kept his word... _nine years ago..._

* * *

**Author's Note:** So, this is the first chapter. The second chapter will pick up a whole month after Troy missed Sharpay at the airport. The next chapter will focus on mainly Sharpay's first day at UCLA and how she's spent the summer alone in a small apartment in LA, Troy has been at home with his parents and helping out the Montez's in whatever way he can - his own parents aren't too pleased with him - when something unexpected happens with Gabriella. Ryan is in New York with his father and depressed. A few new faces pop up. I hope you'll accept these new characters and welcome them into the depths of your hearts! LOL. Please reviiiiew. Please. Please._ -Sobs-_ **PLEASE?!** Haha.


	2. New Life

_**

* * *

**_

Chapter 2: New Life

_Los Angeles – 7am_

The alarm clock blared in the background.

The outline of the thin and long body of Sharpay Evans was provided by her duvet sheet that covered her from head to toe as she lay in her bed.

She stirred slightly at the sound of the alarm and eventually yanked the cover off her head; revealing a head of striking blonde hair and a face wearing a pissed off expression. She glowered around at the room as if searching for the culprit who had shifted time forward so quickly making it so she would have to leave the comfort of her bed. The room in which she now slept was a long stretch away from the room she once had called home back in Albuquerque.

It had been just over a month and still, Sharpay did not feel at home in this very alien and impersonal room. The walls were a bare cream colour, the door was dark brown oak and a simple set of light blue curtains cloaked the sun now at the large window by her bed. There was a large wooden wardrobe with a mirror fixed to one of the outside doors opposite her king-sized bed and a small chest of drawers by the bed itself with a lamp wearing a pink lampshade. In a failed and pathetic attempt to make the room feel more homey; Sharpay had purchased a bright pink beanbag which slumped sadly against one corner of the room looking very much out of place.

Deep inside, Sharpay felt angry and frustrated with her predicament. Ever since she had boarded that flight and left behind her home, her family, her friends and so much more... it felt like she had left behind a very important part of herself. The diva. The Ice Princess. The Sharpay Evans. That oblivious yet ambitious girl who click-clacked her way up and down East Highs hallways in pink leather heeled boots everyday would never accept this. She wouldn't accept this small, second-rate apartment on the edge of LA. She wouldn't accept the bare walls, the stupid burgundy coloured carpet, the small living room and the gloomy kitchen. She'd make an effort to spice it up. She'd make an effort. She'd try. She wouldn't sit inside night after night and bitterly wonder about how different life could've been in LA if he had been here... she'd be OUT there, she'd be trying to get into the clubs with fake ID's, she'd try to talk up celebrities, make friends with paparazzi... God damn it, this is not what Sharpay Evans would do if she was in Los Angeles and so close to her dreams.

That was what heartbreak did to you.

Sharpay slammed an annoyed hand over the alarm clock which finally shut up. She dragged herself out of bed; running a clumsy hand through her hair and tugging down her white wife beater over her pancake-flat stomach as she headed towards the bathroom.

Today was her big day.

She faced herself in the small bathroom mirror. Two eyes outlined with dark circles glared back at her. The face was pale and pasty. Her hair looked more like dead straw then luscious golden waves of beautiful hair. Damn her body for giving up on her today of all days.

Today, summer was over. Today was her first official day at UCLA.

She couldn't let Troy, Gabriella or anyone else preoccupy her mind today. Troy had already destroyed so much for her; she couldn't let him indirectly ruin this for her too.

She knew better than anyone else that first impressions were everything. Now, she had just under an hour to wake herself up and transform the nightmare that was her appearance that morning into someone that could at least pass for a satisfactory and maybe even fashionable human being.

Shower.

She needed to shower – that was what she needed to do to tackle this stubborn hair and shock herself out of her drowsy state. Then again, it couldn't hurt to run a comb through the tangles in her hair. As she headed towards the chest of drawers in her bedroom, her cell phone began to ring. She picked it up off the table; her eyes turning into narrow slits of cautiousness as she checked the caller ID; praying it wasn't Troy Bolton. She almost breathed a sigh of relief as RYAN flashed across her screen. She smiled a little as she held the phone up to her ear.

"Hey Ry." She spoke into the phone; the smile on her face growing.

_New York - 10am_

Ryan Evans hurried up the steps of the subway; emerging from the underground and out onto the wide Manhattan streets which were crowded and noisy with the hustle and bustle of people and the endless line of traffic. With his cell phone attached to his ear with one hand and his black leather suitcase held tightly in his other; he fell into step with the lines upon lines of other commuters all dressed in smart suits varying from simple pinstripes to designer labels like Armani.

Ryan's hair was a full jet black now and slicked straight back. He wore a tight smile on his face. His eyes sparkled with a new personality; a much older, wiser and reserved Ryan Evans had replaced the unsure teenage boy who had graduated high school less than two months before.

"Did I wake you?" He queried.

"Uh, no... I'm very much up." Sharpay's voice spoke up through the phone. "Ry, where are you? It's noisy, I can barely hear you."

"Uh, yeah." Ryan sighed, looking up the street as he manoeuvred through a line of cars stuck in traffic to the opposite lane of traffic; heading straight for a yellow cab. "I just got off the subway. I'm meeting dad on the Upper East."

As he finished his sentence, he quickly switched his phone to his briefcase hand and awkwardly held the two as he pulled the cab's passenger door open and hopped in. The driver looked back at him with a bored expression on his face.

"43rd please." Ryan stated; bringing the phone back up to his ear to hear Sharpay's confused voice.

_Los Angeles_

Sharpay was now sitting on the end of her bed, dangling her legs around and frowning into the phone as she heard the annoying sounds of a car horn blaring, someone yelling and just general feedback.

"Ryan?!" She grimaced in annoyance. "Ryan, I can't hear you! You're breaking up."

"No – I, I, uh, just got into a cab." His voice came from the other end; clear as ever. Sharpay sighed.

"So you called to wish me good luck?" She asked, a smile playing across her face.

The weird thing about finally having her independence and freedom was that sometimes, especially times like this, Sharpay didn't want it anymore. If she had been in Albuquerque with her family; starting a new school or college would have been a big occasion. Lots of hugs, kisses and good lucks would have been exchanged. She would have had constant reassurance from her parents that she was going to do just fine and that she would make friends, she would fit in... It was those little things she missed. It was those little things that made her look forward to her brothers' phone calls or any phone calls from Albuquerque – any calls, that is, that weren't of the Troy Bolton variety.

"What?" Ryan sounded confused.

"It's my first day." Sharpay clarified.

"Oh, right." Ryan replied distractedly. "Listen, Sharpay, I kinda need to talk to you about something... specific. Are you answering Troy's calls?"

Sharpay felt something in her stomach flip. Her face fell. She frowned.

"I don't have anything to say to him." Sharpay stated firmly; her tone cold. "Ryan, you know that."

"I know, it's just... it's been over a month now." Ryan sounded unsure if he wanted to pursue the matter any further.

"Yeah, it has." Sharpay shot back. "I should know. I've been counting the days. It's all I do out here. Count days."

"Yeah, well... you're not the only one." Ryan's voice sounded sad. It threw Sharpay a little off-balance and she opened her mouth to encourage him to speak more on the matter but he cut into her thoughts.

"I've been working like an answering machine for you, Shar." He sighed. "And... normally, I don't pass on his messages... but I think you should know, Troy called about twenty minutes ago. Gabriella went into labour four hours ago."

Sharpay felt like she'd been kicked in the stomach. Her mouth opened wordlessly. A mixture of annoyance and pain played across her face – as well as confusion. Gabriella must only be eight months gone now. She was going into early labour? Sharpay finally seemed to decide that she was annoyed above all else at this news.

"That's his problem, isn't it?" Sharpay rolled her eyes. "I have my own big day to worry about."

"Well, the baby's a month early... something could go wrong, I guess... I mean, I guess he just wanted to keep you updated... you know?" Ryan seemed tired of this. He seemed to hardly care. The truth was; he didn't care. He had spent just over a month living the life his father had set out for him and he felt... God, he didn't feel at all anymore. It was a ruthless cycle of waking up before the sun rose, showering, pulling on a smart suit, collecting his papers, stuffing them in his suitcase, running out of the house onto the damned bus to the subway, getting on the subway, getting off the subway, grabbing a coffee and bagel, running after taxis, getting in taxis, running to meetings, running from board room to board room.... He swallowed hard and pushed these thoughts into the back of his head. He wasn't going to let this get to him. He was annoyed. He didn't want to pass on messages for Troy Bolton. He didn't want to worry about anyone else's problems. He didn't care anymore. He just didn't care. The excuses he was trying to make for Troy seemed futile to him so he gave up.

"I just thought you'd want to know." He eventually affirmed. "I gotta go. Later, Shar."

Before Sharpay could open her mouth to speak, the phone disconnected. She frowned. She didn't like her brothers' attitude anymore. He was snappy. Yet, being so far apart from him kept her from complaining to him about his off-putting moods.

Now, as she sat on her bed, she slowly shook her head at herself. The nerve of Troy Bolton. Of all the shit to heap on her on today of all days... Then again, he had probably forgotten today was her first day at UCLA. Even her own brother hadn't a clue what she was talking about. God, not even her over-protective, over-bearing, over-nurturing mother had called her to wish her good luck. She felt anger course through her.

She had so much to worry about. It was her big day. It was her day. This was not the Troy and Gabriella Show. East High was over. The sad thing was, for a second there... for a teeny, tiny second there... she had thought she might actually leave her high school having the man of her dreams by her side. She had almost made it. Almost... but not almost enough.

No. No! She couldn't let thoughts like this take her over. She couldn't go back to being that hollow, empty shell of a woman she had been for the past few weeks; just moping around her apartment. Sharpay Evans was ambitious. This wasn't who she was. Sharpay Evans didn't cry over a man. She had had a life before Troy Bolton. She had been successful. She had ruled East High's corridors. A small, confident smirk played on her lips. Who was going to stop her from ruling UCLA? It was a new life, after all.

With that encouraging boost coursing through her; she stood up confidently from her bed and headed determinedly towards her bathroom. She had some serious work to do. Today was the first day of the last day of the life of the poor, pathetic dumped Sharpay. It was the start of a whole new life. She was going to make the most of this. Even if it meant unhealthily repressing thoughts of Gabriella and Troy's baby which was probably being squeezed out of her at that very moment. She slammed the bathroom door behind her.

* * *

_Albuquerque - 8am_

Troy Bolton's head felt like it would explode. His heart was racing at an impossible speed. His world was spinning like crazy. Everything was overwhelming.

He looked down at the small bundle wrapped tightly with a white blanket in his arms.

He had to pull the small baby closer towards his chest... closer to his face... to breathe in that scent, to look into those piercing blue eyes... to really feel that this small thing was alive. It was real.

Before he realised what was happening, before he could stop himself; he felt hot tears sting his eyes and run down his cheeks.

He looked up from this tiny new life, from his son and then at the four anxious faces in the room that were staring at him with tears sparkling in their eyes. Mr. Bolton swallowed hard and placed a hand of comfort on his wife's shoulder who sniffled. Mrs. Montez sat by Gabriella's bed; holding tightly onto the new mom's hands and Gabriella herself looked up at Troy with similar tears streaming down her cheeks. She looked exhausted. They all did.

It was one of those moments that defined your life. It was a completely personal moment even though his mother, father, ex-girlfriend and her mom were in the room. He really did feel like his head would blow up. Yet, most of all, he felt like he could cry forever because once that first tear was shed; it all started to come out.

The last month had been the hardest month of Troy Bolton's life.

He had grown up the only son of over-achieving parents who expected nothing less from him. Being an only child meant all his parents efforts were concentrated on him and him alone to make sure that he paved the best future possible for himself. One thing none of them could've planned for was a pregnant ex-girlfriend to get in the way. He was a good guy. His girlfriend, his real girlfriend, Sharpay Evans; had left him broken-heartedly but not before letting him know that the reason their future together had been ruined and the reason his future had been ruined too was because he had always been the good guy. He had to do right by everyone even when it conflicted with his own interests. So, his parents had raised a good kid after all. The only downfall was that maybe there was just too much goodness in him; or maybe that he didn't know when the normal rules just didn't apply. Either way, his set of morals had pushed him off the path of a glamorous life in LA with a girl he really loved and playing basketball for a team he really loved.

In one shot, he had lost it all.

So, his time in Albuquerque over the past month had been miserable. He and Gabriella had maintained an awkward relationship but they had some mutual understanding. She didn't over-step her boundaries; she understood he was not with her for romantic purposes but to help her care for herself during her pregnancy and later; to help provide for her child. He didn't expect Gabriella to think that a rekindling of their relationship was possible but he didn't want her to have any expectations of the kind either. He just wanted her to get better. He wanted to help her. But he was smart enough to realise that sometimes good deeds can be misinterpreted. So, much to his parents' horror and dismay; he had taken a lousy 9 to 5 job at a local hardware store and given half his earnings at the end of every week to Gabriella. Gabriella in return modestly took the money; her inability to speak rendering her unable to thank him.

They didn't spend very much time together. Gabriella sat at home; sometimes she read books, others she had appointments with therapists and doctors and she was just generally preparing for the baby that was on its way. Troy worked. He let Gabriella know he was there for her in any way possible; whether it was to run errands or to go to doctor's appointments. Anything that was related to their unborn child; he would be there.

It was a less than perfect life for an eighteen year old boy.

What made it worse was returning home, completely tired, from a dead-end job with a hole in your heart from the fact that your girlfriend still isn't answering your phone calls to have your parents give you looks of disappointment. They gave you everything, they invested so much in you and you failed them. Troy couldn't even talk to his father anymore. The distance between them had greatened and now Troy lived a life in relative isolation. He had visited Taylor and Chad once. It had been nice. Almost like those old East High days. Other than that, none of the old gang was around anymore. When Troy walked through the mall in the evenings, taking a walk to clear his head and call Sharpay again in the hope she'd pick up; he would see the new seniors from East High sitting at the cafe where only a few months before; he and his friends had sat as seniors. There was three girls and three guys. One of the guys was wearing a Wildcats hoodie which he took off to drape around the shoulders off his, what Troy supposed, girlfriend. He had watched them laughing, sharing their sundaes and talking and felt himself choking up. He felt so far away from that now. He felt like that had been another life. He was so tired. He felt so old.

He had nothing in his life to make him smile anymore. He hadn't touched a basketball since that day at the beach when Kelsi Nielson had unleashed her wrath on them. His father didn't even attempt to play one-on-one games with him anymore...maybe he was ashamed of the nobody his son had become. Troy didn't know. Troy had just been so exhausted and sick of life. Yet, his morals and the goodness in him forced him to get up every morning, drive to that dingy hardware store, sell crappy merchandise, go to Gabriella's, take her to the doctor's or run errands for her, then come home, eat a silent dinner at the table with his disappointed parents and then go to bed again. He continuously told himself that he had gotten himself and Gabriella into this and so he had to stick it out.

Now, after weeks of agonising and holding in all his emotions; when Gabriella's mother had finally put his cleaned up baby boy in his hesitant arms and he felt his son's chest rise up and down and those blue eyes locked onto his... it felt like a weight had been lifted off him. For a moment, he forgot his worries. For a moment, he felt like he wasn't on planet earth anymore. Instead, he felt everything was suddenly very unreal and he felt dazed by it all. This tiny creature couldn't be something he had made. He was so perfect. Everything Troy seemed to do led to screw-ups but this baby was far from a screw-up. Once again, he couldn't believe this tiny creature was something he had made. And yet, it was.

Mrs. Montez took the child out of his arms and Mrs. Bolton wrapped her arms around him. The mother and son began to cry. The birth of a child is always an emotional time. Yet, Troy didn't think anyone could have an experience as mind-blowing and emotional as the one he was having right now. He felt his father's firm hand rest on his back. It was a soothing pat. An almost approving pat. It made the tears come even quicker.

Gabriella's dark brown eyes flitted from her small baby which her mother now held and then up at the Bolton family standing at the foot of her bed. More tears ran down her cheeks. She wanted to open her mouth. She wanted to say something. She wanted to tell Troy thank you. She wanted to say hello to her beautiful baby boy. Yet, she couldn't. Her mouth wouldn't work. Her brain wouldn't listen.

The last month had been difficult for her too. She had continued her existence as a mute. She regularly saw a therapist. Yet, even a month later, she couldn't talk. Her muteness was attributed to shock. She could scream, she could squeal, she could grunt, she could cry out in pain – boy could she cry out in pain; she had spent the past few hours doing so! Yet, she couldn't carry a conversation. Sometimes, her mind would take her to that beach again... and her eyes would glaze over... and when she opened them her mother would be standing before her with tears in her eyes and worry written across her face. Gabriella wanted to tell her she was OK and to not worry. She wanted to tell her mother that the flashbacks weren't as vivid or haunting anymore and that things were getting better but she couldn't. She felt trapped in so many ways.

She had never asked Troy to stay but he was an honourable guy. He was going to hang around. Her pitiful state of mind probably convinced him to stay even more so. He stopped by every day and although he didn't spend time with her, he made sure he bought whatever was on her shopping lists for the day and gave her the money he had earned. A mutual respect kept their relationship going. He never talked to her. He never tried to encourage her to talk. He left her to herself. Gabriella understood that. Over the last month, she was beginning to understand more about the people she witnessed in everyday life just by watching them and listening to them. She did a lot of watching and listening. Troy was broken in himself; just like her. He was psychologically scarred like she was but there were definitely wounds there which had made him isolate himself into a very reclusive lifestyle just like hers.

Inside her mind, Gabriella felt tortured. The worst part of feeling tortured is when you can't open your mouth and unburden yourself to a sympathetic friend or even a therapist because your own mind is keeping you prisoner and won't let you. She felt tortured by the past year. One of her closest friends had done the most horrific things right under her nose. As she relived those high school days in her head; she got chills down her spine as she realised how close she was to a psychopath and how this psychopath was driven to such crimes out of a sick fascination they had with her. Then there was her one night stand on that cliff edge and that one drunken glance she had taken over Nathan Strong's car to see him being pushed off the edge of Heinman's Cliff by a girl. That girl. The same girl who tried to kill her. The same girl who stabbed one of her friends and shot another. The cherry on top was the doctor telling her she was pregnant. That was it. POOF! Everything just dematerialised before her eyes and she had an internal breakdown that rendered her unable to speak. Everything she had worked for her entire life. School. Books. Academia. It was gone. She was a teenage mom. How did she get so far off the path that she was supposed to be on? When did she start slipping off it? Her mind worked frantically everyday to find that moment in time when she took her first step off the right path. She wanted to find that moment. To this day, she hadn't found that moment. She strongly suspected it was the first day she stepped on East High's grounds. This continuous internal stress was on her everyday and so Gabriella wasn't surprised when her labour pains kicked in a whole month early. She was smart enough to know what led to premature births. Yet she wasn't strong enough to avoid it. She had submitted herself to her pitiful state of mind.

Now, as she looked around the room and at the small child that was hers; she realised she did feel a little bit stronger. In an ironic way, she felt rejuvenated by the source of new life that had entered her battered and broken life. As Mrs. Montez carefully placed the baby in her daughters arms once more; Gabriella felt a confirming rush of maternal warmth course through her.

It was funny how sometimes the very thing you thought would ruin your life was the thing that actually saved it.

Gabriella looked up; tears spilling down her cheeks and a small smile forming on her face. Troy's eyes locked onto hers. Her lips parted and-

"This isn't real." Gabriella breathed.

Mrs. Montez's eyes widened at the words of her daughter. Mrs. Bolton exchanged a surprised look with her husband as the two dabbed at their eyes. Troy's eyes remained locked to Gabriella's. There was a big smile on her face as the tears kept running. A similar smile spread across Troy's face; a smile that he hadn't been able to manage in a long time.

"But it is." He replied.

Gabriella laughed and cried at the same time. Mrs. Montez flung her arms around her daughter; being careful not to smother the small human being in her arms and began to cry. Mrs. Bolton pulled her son closer to herself again; feeling her maternal instincts flare up at the mother-daughter exchange of emotions.

Yes, sometimes, events that we think we will not be able to cope with, events that we think will crush us and shake us to our very core are the very events that give us the strength, hope and inspiration to live again.

* * *

_Los Angeles - 8am_

A pink convertible pulled into the UCLA Drama department's parking lot. It was a cloudless, sunny Californian day. Two pink-sandaled feet stepped out; slamming the door of the car behind them.

Sharpay Evans stood confidently by her car; a souvenir from Albuquerque, as she surveyed her surroundings. She was dressed in hot pink short-shorts that had 'S.E.' written across the back of them in rhinestones, a salmon-coloured tank top and a purple headband in her hair.

A group of kids walked past her and shot her odd looks and she smiled. She realised they weren't smiling back... rather, they were frowning. She shrugged it off as she pulled her black Chanel bag over her shoulder and made her way towards the entrance. She guessed these kids were going to be like the colourless, talentless geeks at East High. She didn't need their approval anyways. They weren't the people she needed to impress.

She walked up the steps and breathed in the fresh air of the morning. A red-haired girl about a head taller than her, dressed in blue skinny jeans and a tight white t-shirt was walking ahead of her. She got to the door first and held it open for Sharpay. As her head turned to hold the door open, she surveyed Sharpay; giving her a quick look up and down. Her eyes then met Sharpay's. A cruel smirk spread across her lips.

Sharpay's heart dropped.

The girl turned away as Sharpay walked through the doors, letting them close behind her as she watched the girl walk away down the hallway.

The girl had just given her the class 'you're not cool, you're just lame' look.

Then again, the girl was stick-thin, she had a pasty-pale face and bright red hair... she was your typical ugly, un-cool girl. Sharpay knew because she had seen many cases like her during her high school career. She damned herself for letting someone clearly not worthy of her attention get the better of her. She had to think like mean Sharpay again if she was going to survive here. She had to be everything she had been before she let her guard down with Troy Bolton. It was survival of the wittiest, after all.

Just then, as she followed the footsteps of the girl to the main lecture theatre where she would have her first introductory class; her cell phone beeped in her bag. She damned herself for thinking thoughts about Troy Bolton because she was sure that he was calling her. She quickly rummaged for her phone and realised it wasn't a phone call but rather a text message. The display read: TROY BOLTON. Damn him. She slammed her flip phone shut and stuffed it back into the bag. She wasn't going to read it. Not now, anyway. The next two hours were going to be crucial to the rest of her college career and she couldn't be distracted by him.

As she strode purposefully into the lecture theatre; she was amazed by what she saw. The lecture room in itself was huge. It probably seated a good four hundred people. It was designed like a semi-circle with seats all the way around it facing a stage at the front where she supposed they could put on performances and professors could stand and lecture. She guessed around two hundred people were already in the room. They were all sitting in their seats in little groups of friends. Some of them were standing near the stage about to make their way up. A few people who were sitting down caught Sharpay's eyes. She saw one guy with platinum blonde hair nudge a guy next to him and the two looked in Sharpay's direction; then began sniggering. Sharpay felt the blood rush to her face as they caught her eyes and quickly looked away.

Holy shit, she was being made fun of.

This unnerved her greatly.

No. No. She told herself to remain calm. There had been many times at East High when the basketball team had made jokes at her expense or the cheerleaders had shot her vicious looks. It had always been because of jealousy and they had still feared and respected her. She would find her right place at the top of the pyramid here. She would. She couldn't let a few things unsettle her.

Her next problem, though, was starting to unsettle her. It seemed as if everyone had friends or someone to sit with. She saw the red-headed girl in skinny jeans that she had seen before make her way towards a group of about 8 guys and girls and sit down; falling into easy conversation with them. Sharpay swallowed hard as she walked up the steps of one aisle of seats and then shuffled down the second row and sat down. Alone. The entire row was empty except from her – well almost empty. A guy with black hair and blue eyes dressed in black skinny jeans and a white t-shirt reading: 'THE JONAS BROTHERS! Burning Up Tour 2008!' was making his way down her row. Sharpay rolled her eyes at his appearance and his t-shirt. The t-shirt was a major giveaway that he was gay but most horrific of all – he was a gay with no taste. She did not need to befriend him; he wouldn't help her image. She silently prayed to herself that he would have the decency to sit a seat away from her.

Nope.

No such luck.

He came and sat right beside her. He slumped down beside her, pulling off a black rack-sack off his back and slinging it into the empty seat beside him on his other side and then letting out a loud sigh. Sharpay looked at him in annoyance and moved her arm off the arm-rest they shared. He looked down their empty row and shook his head to himself. Then he turned and looked at Sharpay and smiled.

"Hey, I'm Jesse." He smiled goofily. He was kind of cute... in a dorky way.

"Right." She smiled a forced smile.

"You're a freshman, right?" He asked; clearly not perplexed by her strange response to his introduction. Clearly, her body language and language and general revealed she wanted nothing to do with him. He didn't seem to be getting the message and if he did; he seemed to enjoy making awkward conversation with people.

"This is a freshman class." Sharpay replied curtly; frowning a little as she dug into her Chanel bag for her pink, rhinestone-encrusted notebook and pen with pink feathers as she saw the professor enter.

"Oh, right." He laughed a little. "I just thought you might be in your second year like me and might be re-taking this class 'cos you'd failed... like me."

"Nope." She responded; not smiling.

"So whereabouts are you from?" He asked. "I mean, are you a fairy?"

"What?!" Sharpay looked at him in irritation.

A hint of amusement glittered in his eyes. Sharpay realised he wasn't as stupid as he looked. He actually pissed people off to this amount deliberately.

"Well, what's with the pink stuff?" He queried, smirking now.

Sharpay opened her mouth to respond when a female voice from behind her interrupted.

"Oh, Jesse. Can't you recognise a daddy's girl when you see one? Chanel bags are a dead giveaway."

Sharpay whirled around behind her to see the red-haired girl standing in the row behind hers and Jesse's. Jesse laughed. The girl sneered down at Sharpay as she handed her a piece of paper.

"This is the class register. You sign it and then pass it along to the new row." She explained; talking down to Sharpay.

"I'm not a daddy's girl." Sharpay responded fiercely; locking eyes with the girl.

"Oh, no... and your dad totally didn't give the college a new library or anything to get you in. You worked for it." Every word the girl spoke dripped in sarcasm.

"Hey, yeah, we did get a new library over the summer, didn't we?" Jesse chimed; laughing.

"You're not helping!" Sharpay shot.

"Why are you sitting here anyway, J?" The girl asked Jesse. "We're all sitting up in the middle row."

"Nah, I'm fine here. Closer to the action and all." Jesse nodded in explanation.

The red-head rolled her eyes and walked away before Sharpay could shoot a response at her too. Sharpay had worked for this. She was talented. God damn it.

She bowed her head now that she was left alone with this Jesse guy.

How could she have been so fucking stupid?

This was college. This was nothing like high school. How could she have thought that simply reverting to her Ice Princess ways would lead her to 'rule the school' as it were? How could she have been so naive and dumb? College wasn't for high school drama's. It was for serious education. The cherry on top was that she was dressed like a fucking ten year old. Pink?! Ugh! God. How could she have let herself be so stupid and walk out of her apartment like this? No wonder she was getting strange looks. This wasn't Albuquerque, this wasn't high school where acting spoilt and stuck-up was excusable 'cos you were just a kid. She was an adult now and she was giving off all the wrong signals.

This is what Troy Bolton had done to her. In a pathetic attempt to get over him; she had messed things up for herself even more so.

She rested her head in her arms now as she listened to the professor slowly quieten the lecture theatre and begin his droning on some topic or another... she didn't know what... she was just too humiliated.

"Hey, fairy."

Sharpay's head shot up a little to see Jesse leaning in towards her. He was smiling but the smile on his face disappeared when he saw her bloodshot eyes and the miserable look on her face.

"Jeez... you OK?" He whispered. "I...I was just messing around. Don't mind Aliyah either. She has too many opinions for her own good."

Sharpay sniffled a little and shook her head.

"This is the worst day of my life." She breathed out; miserably.

"Ah, come on, it's not so bad, fairy." He shrugged. "It could be worse. Your hair could be poofier than it is right now."

"Oh really?" Sharpay hissed. "It's my first day at a new college, I've only been in LA for a month and today my boyfriend is in Albuquerque with his ex-girlfriend who just went into labour with his baby! So, I don't think this day could get any worse and my hair is not poofy!"

"Yikes. Sounds like your having quite a day." He raised an eyebrow; an impressed look on his face.

"No, I'm having quite a life." Sharpay retorted.

"At least there's never a dull moment." He smiled optimistically. "Personally, I saw you and thought 'woah, now there's a girl with an interesting personality. Dressed like it's Halloween and man, the poofy'."

"My hair is not POOFY!" Sharpay shot back. He laughed. She sighed and rolled her eyes.

"I'm Sharpay Evans." She stated resignedly.

"And an even more interesting name." He smiled widely. "I think me and you might just be friends, Sharpay Evans."

"I think Sharpay Evans could use all the friends she can get right now." Sharpay sighed.

Then that was that. Her first real friend in LA. They both had made pretty bad first impressions on each other but as the day progressed and they went from class to class; Sharpay found his dorky personality start to grow on her. She had even burst into a fit of laughter over lunch when he had defended him sexuality and tried to convince her just because Nick Jonas's beautiful voice made him cry didn't mean he was gay. Being with him made her forget about Troy too. So while he wasn't the cool guy she thought she'd find out here; she was alright settling for him in all his dorky, embarrassing glory.

At the end of the day, as he walked her to her car and even humoured her by carrying her bag so as to treat her like a real daddy's princess, he made a few jokes about the pink-ness of the car before leaving. As she sat down to start the ignition of the car; she found it shocking that even though she'd only made one friend that day and embarrassed herself in front of most of her classmates... she was smiling. That was when she remembered her phone and the text.

She sighed and took out her phone and opened the message:

Hey Shar. I tried calling you. Maybe Ry told you. Gabs had a boy who's healthy considerin he's premature. She's speakin 2! I love u. My mind has bin on u all day & all month. I have so much i wana share wid u i desperately need 2 talk 2 u. Plz talk 2 me. Shar i won't ever stop callin. U kno it. If u wanted this over u'd change ur number. I luv u. Plz shar.

Her smile disappeared. Oh, goody. Gabriella was speaking again(!) Aww, they now had a beautiful son together too. Well, wasn't that just fine and dandy?

Without a second thought; she threw her phone out of her car and heard it land with a crack that snapped it in two. Well now, that solved that problem, didn't it?

* * *

**AN: Yes, I am finally back!!! I want to apologise. Like Sharpay, I have started college and so yes, this is like four months late but college takes some settling time! I'm sorry. I'm sorry for making you wait and for the readers I know I've lost. I hope this chapter is good enough to make it up to you along with my firm promise that from now on I will update at least once a week if not more. So please, review, let me know the good and bad! :)**

**Also, stay tuned... this series is going to be bigger, better and much more explosive than the last one! I have so much planned, I'm excited!!!**


	3. Strange

_**Chapter 3: Strange**_

The baby of Gabriella Montez and Troy Bolton had spent its first two days of existence in the presence of warm, admiring adults. Troy's parents and Gabriella's mom had bonded a lot over the past month.

Troy's parents had been silently resentful of the Montez women because of the predicament their situation had landed their son in. Mrs. Montez had been overly-protective and defensive of herself and her daughter. In her opinion, her family had lost the most – not Troy's. Troy could always go onto college next year by deferring entry this year. It was always easier for the father. Mrs. Montez herself couldn't afford to give up her day job and become a full-time mother so Gabriella could continue her education at college. Gabriella was stuck. Yet, Mrs. Montez had buckled up and accepted it. She was a tough woman. She had survived and made sure her daughter had survived too over the years with no one to depend on but herself. She and her daughter would get through this. They didn't need the Bolton's passing judgement on them what with all the problems they already had. So yes, Mrs. Montez had built up a bubble around her and refused to get close with the Bolton's. The two families merely abided one another and that was it. There were no dinner parties together or Sunday's spent together. They mutually respected one another's boundaries.

Now, as Gabriella watched Mrs. Bolton and her mother standing by her son's cot and cooing down at the child; a thin smile spread across her lips. Those boundaries were coming down between the two families. The experience of a new born child entering the family had knocked down those boundaries and the Bolton's and Montez's seemed to instantaneously become the best of close friends. Everything else seemed like water under the bridge. It was strange how easily and quickly people could forgive and forget when they really needed to.

Troy stepped into the room that would now be assigned to their son and Gabriella's smile disappeared. She was seated on a rocking chair by the window watching the two mothers'. Troy looked over at them and smiled a little and then walked over to Gabriella.

"Hey." He smiled.

She smiled a forced smile back. He looked at her expectantly. She stared back at him blankly.

"Come on..." He nudged her playfully. "I know you can do better than that."

A real smile spread across Gabriella's lips.

"Hi." She croaked out and then bowed her head shyly.

"There we go." He smiled; sitting down opposite her.

Troy's world over the past two days had been preoccupied by his son. He had spent the month before living a real nightmare. He was sure that if he had had to spend another month like it; he would've needed antidepressants. Gabriella seemed to have been helped by the birth of their son too. She was speaking. It wasn't the normal fluent, long sentences sprinkled with braniac talk that Troy remembered but it was talk nonetheless.

"It's amazing, isn't it?" Troy sighed; looking over at the cot where their mother's stood.

"What?" Gabriella asked.

"Just a week ago, I was... I was giving up on everything." Troy looked at her. "You weren't even speaking. You'd already given up. Then he comes along and in one day; it all changes. You're getting better. I'm feeling better. He's our miracle, isn't he?"

Gabriella's eyes locked onto Troy's. She felt her stomach turn. An agonizing look flitted into her eyes. Troy noticed.

"Are you OK?"

"...I..." Gabriella shook her head and looked down at her hands. "Yes."

Troy looked at her for a moment as if deliberating to himself whether she really was OK or not. In the end, he decided not to push her too much on her thoughts. He had seen her 'spaced out' phases and knew that encouraging her to talk about it sent her sometimes even deeper into her reveries.

"Um, Taylor and Chad might stop by." He added on a lighter note. "Jason and Ryan send their congratulations."

"Sharpay?" Gabriella asked; surprising Troy. Gabriella saw the look of pain on his face and her heart seemed to crumble within her.

This whole thing with her, Troy and the baby had come too far. Yet, it wasn't her fault. She hadn't been in any position to speak up at the time of Sharpay's departure. That was what she constantly tried to tell herself. Then the month that followed had just been crazy. She had been so tortured by her own visions and nightmares as well as the fear of delivering a baby and her own failures in life that Nathan Strong had Sharpay Evans had been the last thoughts on her mind. Now, she was recovering well from the birth. She was recovering well altogether. Life was moving on. Yet, there was still unfinished business. There were still things Troy needed to know.

She had her suspicions that the baby wasn't his.

Yet, how did she tell someone who had sacrificed his entire young life for his supposed child? Just seeing his reaction to Sharpay's name made her realise how bad things had gotten.

It was things like this that forced her mouth to close up. It was traumatic ideas like this that prevented her from talking. But everyone had to face their demons at some point or another.

"Her number's um... she changed her number." Troy looked distraught. Gabriella's eyes widened in surprise.

"Heh... it's my fault really." He chuckled sadly to himself. "I kind of suggested it. You know... never call Shar's bluff."

Gabriella smiled weakly in return.

"She's going to need time to get used to this." Mrs. Bolton spoke up. She was standing behind Troy and placed a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"Well, she's a young girl in LA." Mrs. Montez shrugged. "The world is her oyster and... and a baby is just a big responsibility at 18. I wouldn't be surprised if she didn't want any part in this."

Troy's jaw tightened. Mrs. Bolton squeezed her son's shoulder tighter. Gabriella felt a pang in her chest at her mother's words. It was clear that in the eyes of her mother; she had destroyed her own life and those words just proved it. Mrs. Montez seemed oblivious to the way what she had just said had been interpreted.

"She'll call when she's ready." Mrs. Bolton assured.

"I..." Gabriella opened her mouth; her heart was racing. She couldn't take this anymore. She wasn't a bad person. She never deliberately kept things to herself just to make her own life easier – especially if it meant making someone else's life harder. She knew something that could change Troy's life drastically... again.

The three faces stared at her silently; expectantly. In the background; her son gurgled.

"Troy needs a pa-paternity test." She uttered.

She heard her mother take a sharp intake of breath. Troy looked confused. Mrs. Bolton frowned... disapprovingly.

"Gabs, what are you talking about?" He asked.

That was it. The tears started streaming down her cheeks. He looked angry now. She started to shake.

"I'm sorry... I... Nathan Strong and I slept together. It could be his." Gabriella cried.

Troy looked like he had been punched in the face. Gabriella saw bitter tears sting at his eyes. Mrs. Montez seemed frozen in shock. Mrs. Bolton rounded on the other mother.

"Did you know about this other boy?" She asked.

"N-no." Mrs. Montez uttered; she was in shock and her eyes never left Gabriella's. Gabriella felt herself dying slowly inside at the look her mother was giving her.

"He's not mine?" Troy cut through the silence.

"I.. I don't know." Gabriella replied.

"What do you know?!" Mrs. Bolton screamed making Gabriella jump. In a manner of seconds, the entire atmosphere in the room had changed.

"Shut up!" Mrs. Montez snapped out of her shocked state and glowered at the other woman. "Just shut up! She was in no position to tell us when we found out!"

"What kind of mother doesn't even know who the hell her daughter is jumping into bed with?!" Mrs. Bolton blurted before she could stop herself. She wasn't a cruel woman. This wasn't what she would normally do. Yet, in this situation; she had just discovered that the enormous amount of potential her one and only son had might have been sacrificed for nothing. She felt she deserved to go berserk.

"How dare you?!" Mrs. Montez shrieked.

In the background, the baby began to cry. Gabriella continued crying. Troy looked from the two fighting mothers down to the supposed mother of his baby and then at the crying baby.

"This is insane." He shook his head in disgust and turned and walked out.

Gabriella began to cry harder.

"Get out of my house. Now!" Mrs. Montez demanded of the other woman. Mrs. Bolton grimaced and then walked out. The moment Mrs. Montez head the front door slam; she wrapped her arms around her crying daughter and just held her. The two of them looked over at the cot where her baby lay crying.

It seemed like in the madness of it all; they had forgotten about what was best for this tiny human being. Mrs. Bolton's responsibility lay with her son. Mrs. Montez's love lay with her daughter. Gabriella herself could not find it within her to give herself entirely to her newborn. So she sat there, huddled against her mother, and cried. She cried for everything.

* * *

"Wait... wait... and he was gay?!"

Sharpay rolled her eyes as she bit the top of her straw.

"Yes, for the last time." She confirmed in an annoyed tone.

She was sitting in Toluca Lake in California at a small cafe with her new and only friend; Jesse. He had been living in LA since he had been a kid and his family lived in Burbank which was quite a drive from Sharpay's apartment.

It was a sticky hot Wednesday afternoon in September and the two were free of classes. Jesse had suggested that the two get in his car and take a drive to one of his favourite cafes for a late lunch. Sharpay wasn't exactly thrilled that her supposedly glamorous life in LA had turned into this; being at the bottom of the popularity pyramid and hanging around with one of the biggest dorks in her classes. It turned out that Jesse had actually failed all his classes last year and was re-taking the whole year. That was classic Jesse. He messed up and had no regrets. He went on with his life all happy, smiley and goofy.

In a way, she found his laid back attitude comforting. At first she had been reluctant to go with him but he had then told her there was always paparazzi around. He had teased that it would be good training for her when she became a big superstar singer. She had laughed and agreed. He had only known her for less than a week and he already seemed to know what impressed her and what didn't. Sharpay seemed like she knew him well too. The two of them were open books with one another.

And here they were.

Sitting in a small cafe by the roadside sipping their cokes and munching on French fries while they probed further into each other's lives.

"Your twin brother was gay." He said out loud for what was the fifth time.

"Yes." Sharpay snapped. "Kind of gay. I mean, he had a thing with my boyfriend's ex-girlfriend."

"The same ex-girlfriend who gave birth to his kid at the start of this semester?" He laughed. "Well, it's official, your high school was a lot more interesting than mine."

"You don't even know the half of it." Sharpay sighed as she chewed on another French fry. It was true. His head would probably explode if she told him all about Kelsi and her reign of terror. Yet, she had no intention to do so. One of the attractive things about a new life in LA was that she could be whoever she wanted to be here and completely forget her messed up history. Although, she was already ruined here. The first impressions she'd made on her first day had left her being stereotyped as that 'weird, outlandish girl.' Jesse, however, had told her not to let this get her down. UCLA was a lot bigger than one lecture class. Heck, LA was a lot bigger than one lecture class full of students. If she had dreams, she shouldn't give them up at the first hurdle.

"So this boyfriend of yours, the basketball player... he's not planning on coming out to LA anytime then?" Jesse quizzed; popping another French fry into his mouth.

"I don't know." Sharpay pursed her lips and toyed with her food. "As of right now, he can't even contact me."

"Why not?"

"I changed my number." Sharpay looked at him and he burst out into laughter.

"Why?"

"I didn't want him to call me. That's why." Sharpay snapped. "You ask a lot of questions but you know, you don't really answer any."

Jesse looked amused at this and shrugged. "Hey, I'm an open book. Ask away."

"An open illustrated joke book for second graders." Sharpay remarked. "You don't take anything seriously. Everything is a big joke to you."

"Hey, at least I'm not a closed book of horrors." He joked. Sharpay grimaced at this.

"Besides, you're enjoying my company." He smiled. "Don't pretend you aren't."

"I guess I am." She shrugged nonchalantly. "I mean, I guess you'll do until something better comes along."

She smirked smugly at this and then stood up; excusing herself to go to the bathroom. Jesse watched her go and shook his head, chuckling as he did so.

Sharpay Evans was one of the strangest girls he had ever met. She was pompous and snotty. She acted like she was in charge of everything that happened around her. The truth was, she wasn't in control at all. The truth was, she was just another freshman struggling with life. Yet, what made her unique and different was that she refused to admit this to even herself. She was very distant from her own emotions. She talked about everything with a very blasé and casual attitude. He had to admit, of all the wannabes he had seen at UCLA; Sharpay was the most unique wannabe. She was the most charismatic. She probably had the most chance of making it in this business – not because she was amazingly talented – but because she got people's attentions and she got a reaction from people. It was true that she mainly got a negative reaction but a reaction was a reaction nonetheless and that's what you need if you want to be a star.

Jesse was one the strangest boys Sharpay had ever met. He didn't take anything seriously. In the week Sharpay had known him; she had seen the jock-types lift him up and put him in a trash can, she had seen professors yell at him until they were red in the face and of course, she had seen him rejected by countless girls every time he boasted to Sharpay he could get their numbers. Yet, he did it all with that damned goofy grin on his face. It was like he lived for humiliation and he didn't care. He had a joke for every occasion. Whenever Sharpay was with him; she could be the angriest and most hurt person on the inside but when she looked in the mirror; she found herself unconsciously smiling at one of his lame jokes. The only positive thing about him was his sense of style and the fact that he was pretty good looking; but his attractiveness was only heightened by his great sense of style. Sharpay had strong suspicions that he took style advice from tween magazines and modelled his look on the Jonas Brothers or something. He did talk about the Jonas Brothers a lot.

So, yes, Jesse was strange. Sharpay was strange. It was a strange friendship that just seemed to work.

As Jesse sat sipping on his Coke alone at their table; he heard Sharpay's phone bleep. Her purse sat on her chair; it was open and on top of a text book was her phone. He leaned forward and saw RYAN flash across the screen.

_Ah, the gay brother._

A smile spread across Jesse's lips. He picked up her phone and flipped it open. He saw that Ryan had sent her a text message. The smile disappeared as he read the text.

_Shar call me wen u get this PLZ! Baby mite not b Troys. He needs 2 speak 2 u ASAP. _

Without really thinking, Jesse clicked the 'options' button, scrolled down until he found 'delete' and erased the message. He could hear Sharpay's heels click-clacking their way out of the restaurant and back outside to the patio where they were seated. He quickly tossed the phone back into the bag and then leaned back and smiled widely as she approached him.

"So are you gonna pick up the tab or what?" He queried.

"Oh, be a gentleman for once." Sharpay smiled. She picked up her purse; pulling out her phone as she did and looked at it. There was nothing new. She shoved the phone back in. Jesse watched her with a permanent smile.

"But you're the one with the rich daddy." He mock-whined.

"I'm leaving now." Sharpay smiled, rolling her eyes as she turned and made her way up the street. "I'll see you in the car!"

Jesse laughed after her as she walked away.

* * *

Troy knew it wasn't Gabriella's fault but he still couldn't help the feelings of betrayal and anger that were coursing through him.

"So what are you going to do?"

Troy turned around to see his mother standing in the frame of his doorway. He looked away again without answering her. He was standing in front of his bed with his back to her. In front of him, laid wide open, was a suitcase. His wardrobe doors were flung open and he was pacing from the wardrobe and back to his bed again; throwing in odd pieces of clothing.

"Troy?" Mrs. Bolton persisted.

"What can I do?" Troy sighed, turning around. "Get a paternity test... if he's not mine... I'm going to LA."

He swallowed hard and tried to swallow back his anger too. He couldn't be angry at anyone right now; especially not his mother. The situation made him angry but in all honesty, there was no one to blame or get angry at.

Mrs. Bolton's demeanour softened and a concerned looked flitted into her eyes.

"Do you want him to be yours?" She asked softly.

Troy stopped for a moment as he thought about this.

"Does it matter?" He asked; his voice cracking.

"It does. Of course." His mother assured. She walked over to her son and placed her arms around him. "You get attached to something, you grow to love it... It's alright to grieve."

Troy frowned a little and pulled away from his mother.

"We don't even know that he's not mine yet, mom, so I'm not grieving anything!" He stated firmly.

"So you are attached." Mrs. Bolton pursed her lips.

Troy hesitated a little before responding.

"Yes." He sighed. "He's innocent in all this, isn't he? I care about him. I watched him bought into this world. So yes, I am attached."

His mother looked at him and didn't know whether to feel pride or to feel worried. She couldn't be more proud of the responsible young man she had brought into the world who wasn't scared to show his feelings. He was a gentleman. What more could a mother ask for? Yet, she had a creepy tingly sense of worry trickling through her at the same time. He had already given up so much for this child and now there was the possibility it wasn't his; she didn't want him to be so attached that he wouldn't leave the child even if it turned out not to be his. She was a parent too and she had her own son's best interests at heart. It was part of the reason why she had been so angry and distraught at the Montez house. She had calmed down and recovered from the shock now and regretted somewhat her harsh words. This was a difficult situation for all the parties concerned.

"And there's nothing wrong with being attached." Mrs. Bolton finally answered as Troy continued packing. "But if he's not your child to put first, then I beg of you, put yourself first. Go to LA."

Troy looked at his mother and saw reflected in her eyes the pain and worry she was suffering from. He sighed and pulled her into a hug.

"Mom, that's the plan." He assured her. "This time, I mean it."

As she pulled out of the embrace; she looked assured.

"This packing... you're leaving for LA?" She asked.

"I... I'm not leaving until we get the results." Troy stated. "If the baby isn't mine, I'll go for good. If it is, I still want to go... I need to see her. I've got no reason to delay seeing her now."

Mrs. Bolton nodded a little and then left the room. She understood.

As she left, Troy slumped down on his bed next to the suitcase. As he sat down, he realised every part of his body ached. He was emotionally exhausted.

He lay back on his bed and stretched.

He had held that small baby. He had breathed in its scent. He had looked into its big, beautiful eyes. He had loved it. He loved it. Now, he felt conflicted. He felt numb. He felt strange.

* * *

As Jesse drove along the highway with the top down on his blue convertible car; Sharpay grimaced at him as the wind caused her blonde hair to blow wildly. She thumped Jesse on the arm as she whined for him to pull the top down and he turned and looked at her. He tried to choke back his laughter but couldn't.

"OK, you can't deny the poofy-ness of the hair today." He smirked.

Sharpay shot him a murderous look. He directed her gaze to the rear-view mirror. She caught a glimpse of her own crazy hair. She laughed. She couldn't help it.

"It's not _that_ poofy." She shot back. "Besides, I don't use ten cans of hairspray on my hair every morning!" She leaned over and patted his smooth, black hair.

"Oh, you're way off." Jesse shook his head. "It's actually mousse – and it's about two gallons worth."

"You're strange." Sharpay remarked, smiling.

"You're silly." He replied; concentrating on the road ahead. "Actually, I am strange. Jesse Strange, to be exact."

"You're name is Jesse Strange?" She raised an eyebrow and then laughed. "What a perfectly strange name for a perfectly strange boy."

As the two drove down a clear Californian highway at sunset on a warm evening; Sharpay Evans didn't realise exactly how strange Jesse really was.

* * *

**AN: Thank you SO much for the reviews. I am so glad to see I still have SOME people reading this story. Please, please let me know what you think of this chapter, the ways the characters are developing and so forth. PLEASE REVIEW. I really appreciate it and also need it lol. Also, worry not, Jesse is NOT another Kelsi. Far from it ;)**

**Finally, someone asked if my first day at college was anything like Sharpay's lol. Firstly, thank you for asking! That's sweet. Secondly, no, it was nothing like it but it was pretty unpleasant. It's taken me a while to settle in because I had a very, VERY bumpy start to the semester. Fingers crossed it won't affect me in exams! **

**Anyways, review, lemme know your thoughts and I'll be working on the next chapter. THANK YOU SO MUCH!  
**


	4. Worlds Apart

_**Chapter 4: Worlds Apart  
**_

_Albuquerque, 2.30pm  
_

"You can expect the results of the paternity test in about three to four weeks." Dr. Doersch spoke informingly.

Troy looked at the doctor sitting in front of him with an exasperated expression on his face.

"You're kidding me, right?" He asked. "I-I mean isn't there any way to speed up the process?"

"I'm afraid not." Dr. Doersch shrugged apologetically. "If there was anything I could do to make things work faster down at the lab, I would, but it's out of my hands."

"W-we r-r-really appreciate your help." Gabriella stuttered. "T-thank you."

The doctor nodded in acknowledgement as the young couple stood up from their plastic chairs and made their way to the door of his office.

Gabriella and Troy were at their local doctor's office and had just taken the first step in determining the true paternity of their unnamed child. The doctor had taken DNA samples from Troy. If the child's DNA matched Troy's; then the child would biologically be his. If it didn't, then it was clear the father of the child was Nathan Strong and therefore; dead.

Gabriella was dressed in a loose-flowing, sleeveless white summer dress that ran down to her knees with a baby blue shawl draped around her shoulders. Troy was dressed casually in brown baggy pants, offensively scruffy sneakers and a plaid dark blue shirt. Outside, it was a clear September afternoon with the sun shining high and bright.

An awkward silence lingered between the two as they walked down the steps of the doctor's office and then onto the footpath leading to the car park. Gabriella shuffled through her purse as Troy fell into step beside her.

"Do you, um, do you need a ride?" He queried politely as he shot a quick look around the empty car park for Gabriella's mom.

"I-I can call my m-mom. I-It's not a problem." She assured as she pulled out a cell phone.

The two had not spoken since Gabriella's outburst the day before at her home when she had raised her suspicions that their 5 day old child may not be his. The boundary walls between the two families rose up once again. However, this was a situation in which ignoring the problem would not make it go away. They had to confront one another and they had to confront the issue at hand. Therefore, Mrs. Bolton had made the bold and determined decision to call Mrs. Montez and apologise. She sucked up her pride and told the woman she was sorry. The reason why she did this was for her son. The sooner this problem was resolved, the sooner her son could get back to living his life. Mrs. Bolton wasn't an angry or bitter woman. There had been a point in time when she had thought Gabriella and Troy were love's young dream. That was before she saw the happiness he shared with Sharpay. That was before Gabriella contradicted the beliefs Mrs. Bolton had of her – not that getting pregnant made her a bad person. Yet, Mrs. Bolton couldn't help but to judge and feel sour because of the problems it caused for her son. So a phone call had been made. Mrs. Montez had agreed to speak with Gabriella's doctor and make an appointment for a test straight away and hung up. An hour later, she had called back and informed that Troy should be at the doctor's at 2pm the next day. So he had driven out here. He had seen Gabriella waiting in the reception area alone when he had arrived. They had sat through the test together. And now here they were.

"It's fine, I can give you a ride." Troy stated. "I don't mind."

"B-b-but I-I'm not-"

"I know." Troy cut in, smiling a little. "I can take you there too."

Gabriella's eyes met Troy's and she forced a small smile back.

"T-thanks."

The two of them made their way to his truck and Gabriella slid into the passenger's seat. A second later, Troy was seated beside her and the engine roared to life. He carefully pulled out of the tight spot and then hit the gas and sped out of the car park.

Troy knew Gabriella wasn't going home. She was going to go to her therapist's office. He had never been there with her. In the month that they had spent together leading up to their son's birth; Troy had left Gabriella alone to deal with her issues and she had left him to deal with his. He was there to provide practical support but he was in no position to emotionally help her.

The two of them sat in the car in silence as Troy gunned it down the road. Gabriella could tell his mind was preoccupied.

He was thinking about everything. Everything involved a lot of thoughts about Sharpay. A lot of regrets too. He had called Ryan Evans the minute he had left Gabriella's home the day before. Normally, he would have called Sharpay first. She was always on his mind. At that moment, she was more on his mind than any other person in the world. Yet, he couldn't call her. He didn't have her cell phone number anymore and the chances were that even if he did; she wouldn't pick up. So he had let Ryan know everything and Ryan had told him he had relayed the message to Sharpay in a text. This morning, he had awoken and called Ryan. Ryan sounded slightly annoyed and told Troy that Sharpay hadn't responded to his text and he didn't want to push his sister any further on the matter before abruptly hanging up. That had made his heart sink a little.

His heart had also sunk at the thought that he had to wait for four whole weeks before he knew the truth about their unnamed child. He had to put his life on hold. He was expecting that the results would take a day or a week at the most – not four weeks! He was thinking that it didn't matter that Sharpay didn't respond, she was probably in shock and hadn't known how to respond. He was thinking that the minute he got his opportunity; he was going to go out there and see her. He had delayed that for too long. Even if this baby was his... it didn't matter. The baby was here now. It wasn't going anywhere. He could still go out to LA for a week or two to see her. There was so much that was left unsaid between them. There was so much about the way things had ended that still kept him up at night.

"D-d-did you tell her?" Gabriella asked, cutting through the silence and over the hum of the engine.

"She knows." Troy sighed. "I don't think she cares."

Gabriella's eyes widened at this but she turned and looked out of the window; not knowing what to say.

"You, uh, you should think of a name." Troy spoke up.

Gabriella looked back at Troy sadly.

"D-don't you want-want to help?" She asked.

"If he's mine then sure." Troy replied awkwardly. "But he can't go a whole month without a name... you know?"

Gabriella nodded a little in response and looked down at her hangs which rested in her lap.

"I want to go to LA." Troy blurted.

"Oh." Sharpay looked at him again. "Uh... w-when?"

"Soon." Troy stated; keeping his eyes on the road. His face was turning red as the blood rushed to his cheeks. He felt embarrassed and ashamed that he was considering leaving Gabriella before the results would even come. A month was a long time. He had already wasted one month. He was now thinking he couldn't afford to waste another. Not where his relationship with Sharpay was concerned. The distance between them was forever growing. He didn't want to waste any more time to find that the more time he'd spent apart from her had meant he'd alienated her even more so from himself.

"I-I mean, I need to sort things out in LA. Sooner rather than later." He affirmed. "Would it be... I mean, I don't want to go before the results if you don't want me to."

He shot a quick sideways glance at her. Gabriella looked down again awkwardly.

"I-I... It's your choice." She mumbled.

At that moment, Troy pulled up onto the sidewalk outside a small clinic. This was where Gabriella's therapist had his office. Gabriella unclasped her seatbelt and pulled her purse onto her lap.

"T-thanks for the lift." She stated, not meeting his eyes and then quickly slipped out before Troy could respond. He watched her walk around the front of the car and then hurry up the ramp and into the double doors leading into the clinic. He felt a sinking feeling in his stomach.

This whole situation made him feel like crap.

* * *

_Los Angeles, 1.30pm  
_

Sharpay Evans walked down the steps of her musical theatre class along with dozens of other students. It was the end of another long, hot day but the only difference with today was that it was a long, hot Saturday. The unfortunate students who were roped into coming to additional classes for credit on a weekend were milling out of classes and hurrying off campus in their cars to vacate to the mall or to their apartments so they could get ready for the long night of partying ahead.

The red-headed girl, Aliyah, was walking down a few steps ahead of Sharpay with two guys. Two good-looking guys. Well, they were better looking than the guy she had hanging off her arm which was Jesse Strange. Aliyah was wearing denim short-shorts and a tight-fitting white t-shirt. Sharpay herself had her hair pulled up into a high ponytail and had a pink headband on. She was wearing a short, tight baby-blue mini-dress with wedge-heeled sandals.

"Oh, is it the weekend yet?" Jesse asked sleepily as he looked around the room; looking as if he had just woken up. He had his arm linked through Sharpay's left arm and had his head resting on her shoulder.

He was wearing a black t-shirt with a white peace sign on the chest and faded blue skinny jeans and white converse trainers. The red and black checked bowler hat that he was wearing began to slide off his head as he leaned against Sharpay and she pulled it back on top of his head. She wore an irritated expression on her face as she dragged him along with her.

"Yes." She replied, steering him through the groups of people.

"Awesome." He smiled. "Since when?"

"Since class let out about ten minutes ago but you were too busy snoring your butt off to realise." Sharpay retorted as they walked out of the double doors leading out into the hallways.

"You could've left me there." Jesse reasoned. "But you didn't, you fearlessly dragged me out of there. You saved my life. You _do_ care!" He joked; pulling her close for a hug. Sharpay laughed and batted him away.

"Get off!" She sighed. "We've got a whole wasted Saturday to make up for."

"Have you really now?"

The hairs on the back of Sharpay's neck stood up on edge at the grating female voice. Standing at the end of the hallway was Aliyah with the two cute guys Sharpay had seen her with earlier. Great, now she was going to have this bitch humiliate her in front of them. Perfect(!)

"What're you going to do, Barbie?" Aliyah snickered. "Burn a few more hundred dollars onto daddy's credit cards?"

"It's none of your business what we're going to do." Sharpay snapped firmly. Aliyah looked amused beyond anything else.

"We?" She raised an eyebrow. "As in you and Jesse? I don't think so. Jesse has plans."

Sharpay looked from Aliyah to Jesse; confused.

"Oh... right." Jesse bit his bottom lip as he let Sharpay's arm drop. "Sorry, fairy."

"What?" Sharpay looked stunned. Aliyah looked amused once again.

"Uh, there's this frat party tonight. Everyone from musical theatre's going." Jesse explained.

"Oh, well not everyone." Aliyah chimed in; smiling a vicious smile. Sharpay felt the colour slowly drain from her face.

"W-well, c-can I go?" She asked meekly and immediately regretted her stupidity in asking. Aliyah seemed to screech in laughter. The two guys standing beside her suppressed laughter. Oh, God, they actually looked embarrassed for her. God...

"No, Barbie. It's invitation only." Aliyah shook her head; still laughing and stepped forward in front of Sharpay. "See, this is how college works. Damien and Clive are throwing the party. They didn't want to invite you. They don't _have _to invite you. And the best part of it all is, you can't go running and crying to daddy or even a teacher because this is college. It's the real world. It's the place where girls like you fail."

Sharpay felt her throat close up. She saw Jesse shoot her a look that said 'I'm so sorry' and Damien and Clive looked like they pitied her. Aliyah was loving every single minute of Sharpay's humiliation. One thing was clear to Sharpay. Aliyah was the kind of girl who worked hard to get the good things in life, she didn't get them handed to her on a plate. She respected Aliyah for that. Yet, she couldn't respect a girl who prejudged her. Sharpay had worked to be here too; so what if she had enjoyed a few more luxuries in life then Aliyah because her father could afford to spoil her? She didn't deserve this crap. She didn't need this. She could feel the tears stinging her eyes.

_Fuck!_ She thought to herself as she realised this girl was breaking her down. What was wrong with her? Why was she letting this girl get to her? She had had countless people talk trash about her and to her face and she had always faced them off and emerged victorious. The only difference between this situation and previous ones was that this one was in a new setting. But so what? All she had to do was be herself. So that was what she did. She responded... as herself.

"I know how college works just fine, thank you, Aliyah." She stated, swallowing hard. "I suppose I'll have to find something better to do with my Saturday night then hang around with a frizzy-haired bitch and her two gay lackeys. Seriously, what kind a fucking name is Clive? Did your parents hate you or something? And as for you..." She turned to Jesse. "You were nothing more than fucking convenient for me. Something to pass the time by. You amused me but you were getting boring. I have better offers for tonight anyway."

Aliyah looked like she had been slapped in the face; her mouth dropped open. So far, Sharpay had come across to her as a clueless ditzy blonde... kind of like Elle from Legally Blonde. She had never expected such a cutting and bitchy response. It took her by surprise. Jesse, on her left side, looked at Sharpay with amusement. Trust him to enjoy this. He was a bigger bitch then most of the girls Aliyah knew. He loved drama. He was like their resident Perez Hilton.

"Oh, really?" Jesse raised an amused eyebrow. "What are their better offers?"

Clive folded his arms as he looked at Sharpay sternly. Aliyah looked at her expectantly. Sharpay faltered slightly as she thought it over.

"I... I don't know yet." She admitted truthfully to which Aliyah and Damien snorted with laughter. Sharpay grimaced with annoyance.

"But you know what?" She continued. "It sure as hell is going to beat your lame-fuck frat party. If I felt like sitting on a couch braiding your bushy hair and sharing popcorn with your two Oompa Loompa's over there; then I'd be really hurt that I wasn't invited."

"Hey, Oompa Loompa's? And ragging on my name?" Clive frowned. "What the hell, man."

"Oh, please." Sharpay snapped. "Go look in a mirror next time you decide to get another fake tan – you're over-doing it!"

Without waiting for a response, Sharpay turned sharply on her shoes and then walked around the corner of the hallway and disappeared out of sight. The minute she rounded the corner; she let out a deep breath of relief and realised she was shaking. She could not believe she had just done that.

As Aliyah, Clive, Damien and Jesse watched her go with surprised and shocked expressions on their faces; Aliyah suddenly grimaced.

"Spoilt bitch." She spat.

"Really?" Jesse raised an eyebrow and a smile spread across his lips. "I think she's pretty cool."

Aliyah rolled her eyes at him. Jesse continued smiling.

* * *

_New York, 4.30pm  
_

It was a rare lukewarm September's evening as Ryan Evans walked through the wide yet congested streets of downtown New York. In the month or so that he had been there, had quickly learned why they called it the city that never slept. Even on a pleasant day like this, there were still people hurrying around, rushing to get from A to B. Taxi drivers were still furiously honking their horns. Hot dog vendors were engaged with loud conversation with conversation. No matter where you looked or where you went; something was always going on.

Normally, Ryan was a part of the crowd. He was submerged in a sea of well-suited and booted men and women with slick-backed hair and laptop bags in hand; rushing to reach a taxi or tripping down the stairs of the subway so as not to miss his train.

Today was a Saturday. His father had called him in for their weekly, end-of-week sessions. Mr. Evans had been very much involved in his son's progress within the company. To say that there was a little nepotism going on was to understate the matter. Ryan was essentially nothing more than a runner. He came in on his first day in a t-shirt and jeans and his father was furious. Even if his son wasn't a big man sitting behind a desk; he was still going to look the part. Then slowly, as time passed, Ryan found that his list of duties began to extend and instead of it being little things like fetching coffee for the assistants or making photocopies; he was being asked to spell-check reports, then to even do write-ups based on notes taken in meetings, help with the layouts for the presentations and so forth. His father was increasing the amount of responsibilities his son had.

Mr. Evans thought his son would be overjoyed at his father handing him tasks that were actually significant.

For Ryan, nothing seemed significant anymore.

He did what he did physically but mentally; his mind didn't seem to register what he was achieving. He was robotic.

Ryan and his father never had heart-to-hearts like Sharpay and his father did. It was easier for Sharpay because she was a girl – a daddy's girl to be exact. Male bonding of that kind just didn't happen between Ryan and his dad. Mr. Evans had always been somewhat of an absent father and so where his wife would've noticed that the spark in her son's eyes was gone; Mr. Evans did not.

He enthusiastically and proudly placed his son by his side, at the centre of what he thought were the most exciting meetings and decision-making processes concerning his company. He didn't see that Ryan never once seemed to share his enthusiasm or pride. Rather, he silently went about his work and then retired to his Manhattan eighth-floor apartment.

That was another thing Ryan despised about New York. The floors. The fact that he was hardly ever on ground level. He worked on the fifty-somethingth floor for his father. The only view he had was of the skyscraper opposite him where he could see the office staff there; robotically going about their days work.

The weekend was the only time Ryan broke from his schedule. Apart from his weekly meetings with his dad where his father gave him extra 'tips' and just generally checked up on him; Ryan was free to do whatever he pleased in one of the biggest cities in the world.

So what did an 18 year old high school graduate do in the city that never sleeps on a calm evening like this one?

He went to Caro Joe's, of course, and ordered his usual vodka and took his usual seat at the back table and took out his laptop and then he wrote. He wrote everything. He wrote a blog. It was his only outlet.

On his first weekend in New York, Ryan had toured around the city in a taxi and had no idea where to go. He knew he couldn't stay in his apartment. It was so still and silent in there that it killed him. He only went back home when he was tired and was sure he'd fall dead asleep on his couch or something and wouldn't notice the emptiness or silence which normally threatened to swallow him whole. The taxi driver had told him he couldn't drive around all night aimlessly no matter how much Ryan paid him because he needed his half an hour or so's break. Ryan had decided to join the driver on his break – much to the annoyance of the driver. In those early days, Ryan wasn't like other New Yorkers. They were independent. They were used to being alone even when walking down a street and being surrounded by dozens of people. Loneliness was something they understood so well that it no longer bothered them. Rather, people preferred their space and preferred to be alone a lot of the time because they had become so used to it. So to the taxi driver, Ryan had appeared a little 'weird' and 'clingy'. Nonetheless, he had taken his break and allowed Ryan to accompany him... at Caro Joe's. Since then, this was Ryan's hang-out.

Caro Joe's was a small place with attractive, young 20-something waitresses and young men behind the bar. It wasn't a hip place; most of the people that frequented it were in their mid-thirties or so. On the weekends, Ryan discovered they had their weekly talent showcases. This was when members of the public could take to the small stage and perform a song or play an instrument. Ryan liked to walk in on weekends, take his usual seat and buy his usual drink because this was one place that didn't ask for ID; and then write his blog whilst watching the odd performance or two. Many of the performances were by country singers with strong, soulful voices and they were always in their thirties, forties or fifties. Caro Joe's didn't attract the youthful. Ryan was a special exception.

It was about 7pm in the evening on a Saturday when Ryan walked into the familiar dimly-lit tavern-like establishment. He could see a few people sitting at the bar on the stools. About three or four tables were taken with group of friends. He saw one group were middle-aged mom's letting their hair down. Another group were men in suits; undoing their ties and unwinding after most-likely spending their day doing overtime down at the office. He moved passed all of them and took his usual seat at a table for two. He placed his laptop bag on the table and settled down; yanking off his suit jacket and placing it on the back of the seat. He could see up ahead, one of the barmen was adjusting the mike on the stage in preparation for the performances.

At that moment, a red-haired, round-faced woman holding a tray walked over to Ryan; smiling a beaming smile at him.

"Hey, hon." She addressed him. "Shall I get you the usual?"

"Yeah, that'd be great, thanks Amber." Ryan smiled back thankfully. Amber nodded and walked away.

Ryan pulled open his laptop bag and switched on the laptop. As he waited for it to load, he looked up to the table in front of him which was full of the middle-aged mom's. One of them was talking animatedly and the others were howling with laughter. He smiled at them. He liked Caro Joe's a lot. It was a nice escape from reality. It wasn't like the grungy, underground nightclubs where people passed out in their own puke. It was a nice, friendly place where people could come and generally be happy.

The first time he had ever come here and seen a plump woman in her forties with a southern accent take the stage and belt out a country song; he had been so moved by the performance even though it had been an amateur one. He had wished Sharpay had been there with him. Someone who would've appreciated it this kind of thing.

That was nearly a month ago though.

He was very distant from her now.

She never called him. He only seemed to call her when Troy had a message he wanted to pass on. He wanted to contact her. He wanted someone to talk to and confide in and talk about all the new things he was experiencing. He needed that outlet. Yet, he had felt selfish at the thought of calling her up and unloading his worries on her when she obviously had enough of her own. So he had never called her, he had never opened up and over time; he was beginning to now find it even more difficult to open up to her. Their conversations consisted of 'Hi, how are you? Yes, I'm good. Well, have a nice day! Bye!'

That was another reason why having a blog helped him so much; it was his way of opening up.

As he connected to the wireless Internet connection and then signed into his blog; he took a look through the comments that his avid readers had left him. That was another amazing thing about blogging. People were actually reading his pointless ramblings. He had always wanted to study creative writing or something at college but of course, that had never worked out, he had been swayed into the business world by his father but nonetheless he had always wondered what it would be like to write something and have other people be touched by it. People were actually subscribing to updates for his blog. It was a major booster of his self-esteem. Thinking about it now, his life sometimes became so pathetic and he became so lonely out here that his blog was the only source of comfort was his blog. His readers seemed to enjoy his experiences and thoughts.

As he began to tap out a new entry about his fifth week in New York; the loud feedback of the microphone from the stage made him cringe and look up. A few of the people at the tables in front of him looked up in annoyance and a few yelled angrily. Ryan looked at the stage and his eyes connected with another pair of watery-blue eyes. Scared, nervous watery-blue eyes. Ryan's heart skipped a beat in that one exchange of glances. The ocean-blue eyes looked away.

A young man with a pale face and platinum blonde hair sat on a high stool on the stage, cradling an acoustic guitar in his lap; with the microphone stand leaning in against his face. He was dressed in brown dress pants and a light pink dress shirt with the top buttons undone.

What made Ryan keep looking at him was his age. He wasn't like most of the regulars at Caro Joe's. He was young. He must have been in his early twenties at the most. He was obviously nervous as hell. His hands were shaking and underneath the stage's hot lights; the sweat on his forehead seemed to sparkle.

"H-hi, I-I'm Adam." He stated into the microphone; causing even more feedback. The tables had quietened down and one man shouted out in annoyance "Aww, c'mon buddy!"

"I-I'm going to be doing a cover o-of uh, Free Fallin'." He had a thick Southern accent.

"You gonna stutter through the whole thing?!" Someone shouted out.

Adam gave a small amused chuckled and shrugged. "Uh, I hope not, sir."

The audience laughed a little at this and Ryan found himself laughing too. At that moment, Amber click-clacked in her heels and placed a bottle in front of Ryan.

"Here you go, hon." She smiled, leaning down beside him. Ryan was watching Adam as he strummed out the first few notes on his guitar. Amber smiled.

"He's a sweetiepie. He was so nervous." She whispered to Ryan. "But he's a gifted kid. He was in here rehearsing earlier, you know."

"You know him?" Ryan asked, looking at Amber.

"No, but he's Caro Joe's cousin – twice removed or something silly like that." She giggled. "He just came up here from Tennessee. Your traditional small town boy goes to big scary city story. He wants to make it as a musician. Joe's letting him stay with him for a while until he gets enough money together to make his own way."

"Oh, right." Ryan nodded. Amber smiled again and picked up her tray and walked away.

As Adam leaned into the microphone and sang in a strong, confident voice; Ryan leaned forward and closed his laptop. He was captivated by the performance.

Just then, Ryan's phone began to buzz in his pocket. He quickly reached into his pocket; standing up as he did so, and walked out to the back of the bar near the restrooms where it was quieter. He was TROY CALLING flashing across his screen and groaned inwardly. He had passed on Troy's message and she hadn't even replied. What more did Troy want from him?

"Hello?" Ryan answered, putting the phone into his ear and walking into the men's restroom where it was completely silent.

* * *

_Albuquerque_

Troy sat in front of his computer in his bedroom whilst holding the phone to his ear with one hand and scrolling down the screen with the mouse with his other hand. Behind him, his bed was neatly made and two big suitcases sat at the foot of his bed; packed with clothes and other significant belongings.

"Ryan, hey, man." Troy answered. "Listen I-"

Before he could respond, an exasperated-sounding Ryan cut him off.

"What?! What is it that you want now, Troy, huh? I-I mean what more can I do for you? I told you she wasn't answering her phone so I sent her a text and she didn't even respond to it. What can I do?!"

A hurt look crossed Troy's face at Ryan's annoyance and he sighed.

"I-I know, man, and I'm sorry that you're being made the middleman like this." Troy apologised. "I just wandered if you could give me her number."

"You know I can't do that, Troy." Ryan sighed heavily on the other end; sounding like he was getting worked up again.

"I'm going to LA. I'm booking my damn tickets as we speak." Troy stated. "I'm seeing her in person. No more hiding behind unanswered phone calls. If-if you can't give me her number then at least give me her full address or something."

"So the baby's not yours?" Ryan asked after a moment.

"I don't know yet." Troy admitted. "It's going to take a month for the results to come through. I figured I couldn't put seeing her off any longer, you know."

"Yeah, I guess." Ryan agreed. "I'll text you the details and uh... I guess, I mean, I hope it, um, it works out for you."

Troy smiled a little but felt awkward at the same time. "Thanks, man."

With that, they both simultaneously hung up.

Troy put down his cell phone and then looked at the website in front of him. He was confirming his flight booking. In two days, he would be boarding a plane to Los Angeles. He was finally going to see Sharpay for the first time in nearly five weeks. He felt his stomach flutter with anxiety and excitement at the same time. He smiled uneasily to himself.

* * *

_Los Angeles_

It was the first Saturday night since the semester had began and Sharpay Evans was sitting on the couch in her small apartment watching Saturday Night Live... alone. The lighting in the apartment was deliberately dimmed by Sharpay so as to reflect her depressed mood.

She sat cross-legged on her couch with a bowl of sweet popcorn tucked in her lap and a big pout on her face as she watched the comedic antics of Andy Samberg. Her hair was pulled up into a messy bun and she was dressed in an over-sized grey sweatshirt and bright pink, tight short-shorts.

She grimaced at the TV, unable to laugh freely because of the bitter thoughts swirling around in her mind and viciously chewed on the popcorn in her mouth.

"Stupid Aliyah." She pouted; putting another handful of popcorn into her mouth. "Stupid Jesse. Stupid frat parties."

"Hey, fairy." A voice called out from behind her through the darkness.

"ARGGGHHHH!" Sharpay screamed; jumping off the couch at the voice and sending the bowl of popcorn flying. In that split-second, she was sure she'd just had a heart attack or something. Her heart was beating at an unrealistic rate and she had shivers going up and down her spine. At that moment, the lights brightened and a familiar voice chuckled.

Jesse Strange stood by the front door, next to the light switch; laughing.

Sharpay's eyes widened in shock.

"What the HELL are you doing in here?!" She demanded angrily as she surveyed the mess of popcorn everywhere.

"You gave me an easy entrance." Jesse shrugged. "I mean, you're lucky I came by and saw how easy it was to get in here or else someone not as nice as me might have wandered in... and then you'd be in real trouble."

"The front door was open?" Sharpay asked; surprised. "Oh my God." She was terrified at the thought that she had been so careless as to leave her door unlocked. She was a single young woman living alone. How stupid could she have been to carelessly leave her door unlocked.

"No." Jesse looked nonplussed. "Your kitchen window was wide open."

Sharpay shot Jesse a confused and pissed off look. "We're on the third floor."

"Uh, yeah, but there's an emergency stairway right outside it." Jesse sighed, tutting as he did so and leaned forward and picked out a piece of popcorn from Sharpay's hair and popped it into his mouth. "You really gotta be more careful in LA, fairy."

"Ugh!" Sharpay pushed him again and shrugged off the pieces of popcorn on her. "You broke in!"

"No, I didn't." Jesse frowned. He stopped for a moment and then shrugged. "OK, maybe I did. But be thankful it was me and not some big dude with a bat."

"You scared the shit out of me!" Sharpay screeched; hitting him hard on the shoulder.

"Ow!" He frowned at her again and rubbed his shoulder. "I did it out of love. If I hadn't scared you like that, you would never have learnt your lesson. Be honest, you'll never leave a window wide open like that again, will you?"

Sharpay grimaced at him, folding her arms across her chest.

"Just admit it, fairy." He grinned goofily; leaning into her again. "I make a lot of sense."

Sharpay couldn't help but to laugh at his goofy grin and gently slapped his face away.

"No, you don't. You're insane." She sighed and then picked up the bowl off the floor. "Look at the mess you've made. You're hoovering this up!"

She padded into the kitchen area and put the bowl down in the sink and then turned around.

"Anyway, aren't you supposed to be at some hot party with Aliyah and Clive?" She queried.

"I could be asking you the same thing." He smirked. "I mean, sitting here in sweats watching Saturday Night Live... wow, you're a real party animal."

Sharpay narrowed her eyes at him.

"Yeah, well, I obviously don't have a party to go to, do I?" She sighed. "I don't have anything to do at all."

Jesse watched her expression change to one of sadness. He shook his head.

"Well, that's kind of why I'm here, fairy." He smirked. "See, me and you have something in common."

"Oh yeah?" Sharpay raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah, I'm kind of a fairy too." He smiled shyly. "Consider me your official fairy godmother."

Sharpay looked at him, he was cute when he was shy, it was nice to see him all vulnerable... and then she burst out laughing.

"You're my fairy godmother?" She cackled.

"Hey, hey." He frowned. "Don't taunt me or I'll turn you into a pumpkin."

"Alright, fairy godmother. Wait... why are you my fairy godmother." She quizzed.

"First of all, call me Fairy G." He smirked. "It sounds cooler. Secondly, you are Cinderella and I say you shall go to the ball."

Sharpay looked at him or a moment as she tried to make sense of what he was saying.

"The ball?" She looked confused.

"The frat party." He sighed. "You're going."

"What? How?" She looked surprised.

"Man, you're slow." He sighed again, rolling his eyes. "I'm saying you can go. I waved my magic wand. Go, get dressed. Get your shiny shiny on."

Sharpay didn't move but rather surveyed him carefully; as if sizing him up.

"Well... what makes you think I want to go to a party where I'm obviously not wanted anyway?" Sharpay asked seriously; frowning.

This was a question Sharpay herself had been asking herself the entire evening she had spent at home. She felt so down. Yet, she had tried to convince herself that these people were jerks and so she should be happy she wasn't in the company of such jerks; she should be happy she wasn't at their party. Yet, something deep inside her was still killing her slowly inside. It was the idea of being excluded. College sucks when you're not a part of normal college experiences like the parties. Sharpay was feeling excluded and left out; like she was missing out. That was what was killing her. She could care less about making friends with the cool people anymore like Aliyah or Damien or Clive. She just wanted to be one of the other college students at a college party; experiencing it, living it... living life.

Jesse seemed to know all this. He seemed to also know that Sharpay was a fierce and tough girl who would fight for what she wanted because when he answered; he managed to convince Sharpay completely and utterly that she needed to go to this party: it was a matter of principle.

"Of course you want to go, fairy." He smiled a knowing smile. "The fact that you're not invited makes the thrill of crashing it even more exciting, doesn't it?"

Sharpay could only smile mischievously in return.

"Give me twenty minutes?" She queried as she pulled her hair out of the bun and hurried into her bedroom; slamming the door shut behind her.

"You've got ten!" Jesse shouted after her. As the door slammed after her; Jesse turned around and picked up the empty popcorn bowl off the floor and, getting to his hands and knees; began to pick up the pieces of popcorn and gather them back in the bowling. As he neared the coffee table; Sharpay's phone began to vibrate and slid off the table and onto the floor –right into the bowl he held. He frowned and picked the phone out of the bowl to see 1 NEW MESSAGE: RYAN flash across the screen. He frowned to himself as he opened the message and read:

Troy is cumin 2 LA. Booked flight for Monday. Hes cing u Shar. Plz give him a chance. I luv u sis. Have a gud nite.

Jesse groaned inwardly and rolled his eyes in annoyance. "Man, this boy doesn't give up."

He hit DELETE and then snapped Sharpay's phone shut and placed it back on the coffee table. He scooped up the rest of the popcorn without a thought and carried the bowl over to the kitchen area and dumped it into the bin; dusting off his hands as well.

A moment later, he was leaning against the sink; sipping a glass of water when Sharpay walked out of her room. His jaw nearly hit the floor.

Sharpay was full of enthusiastic fire and it showed in how she had dressed herself. She had pulled her platinum blonde hair up into a dishevelled yet sexy looking bun and placed a pink bow to one side over a fringe. She was wearing a very short, light pink sparkly, sleeveless dress and pink stilettos with straps.

She smirked, pleased with herself as she sauntered past him and grabbed her jacket.

"You look..." He smiled and shook his head.

"I look fabulous." She shrugged nonchalantly. "I know."

"Fierce." He laughed. "You look fierce. Aliyah will be sorry she messed."

"Yeah, she will." Sharpay smiled. "Come on, let's go. I'll do my lip-gloss and eye-shadow in the car."

"Yes, ma'am." Jesse nodded, putting the glass in the sink and walking out of the kitchen area. "Let's go raise some hell."

Sharpay laughed as she picked up her phone and slipped it into her pink clutch and then followed Jesse out.

She finally felt like herself. Dressing up, getting ready to party the night away and take a bitch down a notch... that was what she should be doing in LA and that was what she was going to do. She was going to have fun. She was young. She had an amazing life and finally, she was going to take advantage of it.

As she and Jesse walked down the dark street towards his car; she felt herself feel all tingly with anticipation, excitement and nervousness... but a little bit of nerves were good.

"So you look good but do you feel good?" Jesse asked as he pulled open the passenger side of the door for her.

"Yeah." Sharpay frowned. "Of course I do." She slid into the car seat and shot him a confused look.

"What about Troy?" Jesse raised an eyebrow, leaning over the car door and lowering his face close to hers. Sharpay felt her heart sink a little. One of the reasons she wasn't enjoying LA was because of Troy and how every new memory she made; she felt resentful at having to make that memory without him. She hated him and herself for it. It left her bitter. Tonight would have been an amazing night to spend with Troy. He would completely understand her need to take on Aliyah and stand her ground and he would make his lame jokes and keep her happy and her mood light. He had that effect on her. Yet, now she was finally finding that she could enjoy LA without him. It still hurt a lot but she was able to smile and feel happy on the inside too and that was something... it was progress.

"Troy...?" She shrugged after a while. "Troy who?"

Jesse chuckled a little. "Alright then."

"Tonight isn't about Troy." Sharpay sighed determinedly. "It's about me."

"Yes!" Jesse smiled widely and enthusiastically. "Exactly! It should be about you. Not him. You are really different to a lot of the girls at UCLA, Sharpay. You have that star quality."

Sharpay raised an amused eyebrow at him.

"You are... you have potential." Jesse shook his head as he talked half to himself, half to her. "You can be so much, all you need is the right image, the right people in your life..." He smiled and nudged her a little bit.

"You're saying you can make me famous?" Sharpay laughed.

"Hey, hey... just because I failed all my freshman classes doesn't mean I failed my first year at UCLA." Jesse looked serious now. "I learnt a lot, I'll admit, I didn't learn much in the classrooms but I learnt a lot about the red carpet, the behind the scenes of Hollywood... the paparazzi. Trust me, you stick with me... you're gonna go places."

Sharpay listened to him with a thoughtful expression on her face. He smiled widely at her. It was that crooked, goofy grin that made it so very hard for Sharpay to take him seriously. Jesse Strange was a strange little goofball who often took himself too seriously. Sharpay didn't understand why he had clung onto her when he clearly had an inning with the 'cooler' kids but she wasn't complaining. Yet, his claims that he could make her famous and that she was 'special' in some way and had star power sounded phoney. He sounded like one of those sleazy Hollywood directors who preyed on young teenage girls out in LA alone trying to make it big. After a moment, she smiled and shook her head.

"Yes, I do want to go places." She laughed. "Preferably a certain little party... like right now!"

Jesse smiled and slammed her door shut and then moved around the car and slid into the driver's seat. As he started the engine, Sharpay looked out at the darkness through her window and realised that this boy just kept getting weirder the more she learnt about him. LA was just a weird, weird place... but at least she was finally going to have some fun.

* * *

_New York_

It was 11pm and the final performer of the night took a bow on the small stage at Caro Joe's as the audience applauded. Ryan was sat at his usual table and had just finished writing up the events of the past week on his blog and clicked 'SAVE!' to upload it. The table full of the group of middle-aged mom's had gotten rowdier as more drinks had been sent down to them throughout the growing night. Now, the women were struggling to get to their feet between fits of unrestrained giggles and shrieks of laughter. Ryan smiled and shook his head a little to himself as one of them slid off her chair and the others burst into laughter. He had just finished packing up his laptop and grabbed his jacket and pulled it on. He now hurried forward to help the women help their friend up; they were failing miserably to help her as they were too intoxicated to stand their own ground let alone help her.

"Here you go." Ryan smiled; pulling the red-headed, round-faced woman up onto her chair.

"Aw, you're a sweetie." One of the women smiled at Ryan from behind him. "Isn't he a cutie, Rebecca?"

"Oh, he's too young for you, you slut!" The woman supposedly named Rebecca snarled as she swung back another hit of vodka. She was a heavily-built, tough looking woman with black, shoulder-length hair.

"Oh, you bitter hag." The first woman rolled her eyes. "Don't mind her, her husband just left her."

Ryan gave them a nervous smile and nodded. The woman who he had just helped up was looking at him with a weird look in her eyes and clung tightly to his shirt. He tried to carefully slip away from her but she clung on.

"Heh, I-I gotta go now." Ryan smiled. "You ladies have fun, OK?"

The woman still held onto him; her grasp firm. Ryan sighed and decided he had no choice and so he pried her fingers apart and she finally let go.

"Uh... wa-wait." She called as he turned. He looked back at her.

"Th-thank –" Before she could finish, she keeled over and the next thing Ryan heard was her loudly retching as she vomited all over his shiny black shoes. A look of disgust clouded his face as he felt something warm trickle into his socks. The woman's friends burst into a new fit of hysterical squeals. The woman looked up blearily; wiped the side of her mouth and shrugged apologetically.

"Brilliant." Ryan smiled tightly. "Fucking wonderful."

He sighed and shuffled away from them and back past his table to the restrooms.

He opened the door to the restroom and found it was empty except for one toilet stall which was closed. He pulled off his shoes and ripped the socks off his feet as quickly as he could and then dropped the socks into a bin. He picked up his shoes and placed them on the sink and then yanked some paper towels out of the dispenser and wetted it slightly before using it to wipe his shoes. At that point, he heard someone retching violently in the closed cubicle. He felt his stomach turn in disgust. He came to Caro Joe's to avoid the 'college kids puking up a party' scene. Looks like no matter where you went on a Saturday night, you couldn't avoid it.

A minute later, Ryan was still compulsively scrubbing at his shoes when the toilet in the cubicle flushed and the door clicked open. A pale-faced looking young man stepped out and shot Ryan a nervous glance. Ryan gave him a sympathetic smile as he realised it was that Adam guy who had performed earlier.

"Heh, performing always... uh, it makes me sick, I get so nervous." He smiled politely as he walked over to the sink next to Ryan's and turned the tap on. Ryan found that even when Adam spoke, his thick Southern accent gave his words a musical and tuneful edge. He had a captivating voice.

"Well, you were really great." Ryan smiled a little. "Probably the best at Caro Joe's tonight."

"Thanks." Adam smiled crookedly. Ryan noted that his smile seemed to captivate him too. There was something about the amount of teeth he showed when he smiled that really caught Ryan's eye.

"I-uh, I had some woman throw up on my shoes." Ryan laughed as he noticed Adam staring at his bare feet and the shoes in his hands.

"Oh, right." Adam smiled. "One of the old moms?"

"How'd you guess?" Ryan remarked sarcastically.

"Well, I had a bet going on with the guys that one of 'em would upchuck before midnight. Guess I win." Adam laughed joyfully.

"I guess you do." Ryan smiled. "You – uh, you're new in town right? Me too. I'm from Albuquerque."

Adam looked a little surprised as he dried his hands on the paper towel.

"Really? You look like one of them fancy big city lawyer types." Adam shrugged.

"No." Ryan laughed. "I'm not even nineteen yet. My dad owns a company and I'm interning out here."

"Nice." Adam smiled. "Well, I guess I'll see you around Caro Joe's then..."

"Ryan." Ryan spoke up. "My name's Ryan Evans."

"Nice to meet you Ryan Evans." He shook Ryan's hand. "I'm Adam Smith. Have a nice night now."

As he walked out of the restroom; Ryan watched him go and realised that his trips to Caro Joe's had suddenly become a whole lot more interesting. As Ryan turned back to the sink and caught his reflection in the mirror; he saw he was smiling. He was smiling a lot.

* * *

_Albuquerque_

It was a quiet and dark night. Troy lay flat on his back on his bed and stared by discontentedly at the ceiling. His parents were fast asleep in the room next to his. The clock on the bed next to his read 9.42pm.

He thought about seeing Sharpay that Monday.

Surely she had gotten the news by now. She was probably confused and a little upset but surely, she would be just a little bit excited? He was nervous but he was excited. He couldn't wait to see her again.

A thin smile formed on his lips.

As he thought about spending time with her in LA, his mind carefully erased any thoughts that might upset him. The reality and implications of him going out to see her were cleared from his head. Sharpay had a life now in LA. She was slowly progressing into an independant, party-filled student lifestyle. She had a whole life ahead of her. Troy had spent the past month stuck in limbo; waiting on a baby to be born, uncertain of where to go from there onwards.... He was at a different place in his life and she was at a different place in her life. In that moment, deep down inside, he knew they had literally been torn worlds apart but the idea of seeing her again ignited some glimmer of hope that maybe that wouldn't matter and maybe she would drop everything and hug him and invite him into his life... just like old times. It was a silly hope but it was what he clung to and he needed something to cling onto or else he would slip away even further from her... and he didn't want to slip away.

It didn't matter that they were worlds apart. It wouldn't matter. Love conquers all.

It was with those thoughts that he drifted off into a dreamless sleep.

* * *

_Los Angeles_

Sharpay walked up the steps of the frat house. Loud thumping music mixed with the laughs and chatter of students blared from the inside. People were milling in and out of the front door. Some of them were holding paper cups of alcohol. Others were running around the front lawn. One girl and guy were heavily making out under a tree. Sharpay smiled as she walked into the house and found herself overwhelmed by the sight of dozens upon dozens of kids from her classes letting their hair down and getting their party on. She couldn't see Damien, Clive or Aliyah anywhere but she spotted a few of their friends who spotted her and stared with interest. Something or someone was going to kick off tonight. Sharpay smiled wider.

She exhued confidence. She looked radiant. She was in her element.

She pulled off her jacket as Jesse came up behind her; seeming a little out of breath.

"Man, you could've waited for me." He huffed. "You just got out of the car and waltzed off before I even had a chance to find a decent parking spot."

Sharpay flung her jacket in his arms as two guys holding paper cups walked by and surveyed her with interest. She shot them a big gracious smile and barely registered Jesse.

"Hello?" Jesse bellowed in her ear.

"What?" Sharpay looked at him; frowning. "Oh, yeah, go put my jacket somewhere."

"What're you gonna do?" Jesse asked.

"I will..." Sharpay looked around and spotted a guy with brown-ish hair in a neat plaid shirt and brown pants who caught her eye at that moment. "I will... get him to get me a drink."

"You drink?" Jesse raised an eyebrow.

"Minor detail." Sharpay rolled her eyes. "Now go! You're cramping my style." She sighed and gently shoved him away as the brown haired guy walked over to her. Sharpay felt her heart beat faster. The guy was cute. She wasn't really interested in him. She was more interested in the attention. The more people she impressed tonight and the more of them that she got on her side; the more of a chance she would stand against Aliyah and her cronies when it came to crunch time.

"Don't I... uh, don't I know you?" He asked, leaning closer to her and smiling interestedly.

"I don't know." She pressed her lips together in a smile. "I've never noticed you before."

"Really?" The guy looked kind of disappointed. "I'm in your performing arts class. You're Jesse's friend, right?"

"Right."

"I thought this was a private party, I mean, I heard you weren't invited." He looked at her carefully and spoke unsurely. To his surprise, Sharpay smiled coolly and shrugged.

"This is whatever." She sighed. "I just got back from a premiere and Jesse wanted to stop over."

"Wow, really?" He seemed really interested now. "I thought you were a little over-dressed for a lame frat party."

Sharpay laughed with him. Inside, she was screaming 'YES! YES! YES!' She was finally portraying herself in a light she wanted to be seen in. Sure, she was lying through her teeth but LA was a big place. No one would know that she really hadn't been to a premiere; there was always a premiere or event going on.

"What premiere was it?" He asked.

"Some friend of mine was in some movie. I just went with him because he really needed my support." Sharpay smiled. "I didn't honestly pay attention to much apart from the screaming fans and the paparazzi flashbulbs."

"That's pretty cool." He chuckled. "I bet you'll be on the recieving end of that pretty soon, I mean, you're studying performing arts; I assume you want your name in lights?"

"Well, I have a few things in the works." She replied nonchalantly. She could not believe how easily these lies were coming to her and with what a calm demeanour she was delivering them. She had this guy hook, line and sinker.

"Wow. That's pretty awesome." He looked genuinely surprised and amazed. "I mean, I really want to get somewhere too-"

"It is so awesome!"

At that moment, Jesse slipped in between Sharpay and the brown-haired guy; wrapping an arm around both of them and beaming a smile at Sharpay. She felt her heart sink. He had heard her lies. Damn him.

"Sharpay is just such a talented little star, Derek." Jesse told Derek with a smile. "She's going to be up in lights very, very soon!"

"I know, she's a talented girl." Derek nodded, agreeing.

"Yes and do you know whose managing her?" Jesse smiled widely. Sharpay's eyes widened. "That's right, me!"

"Really?" Derek looked unsure.

"Of course!" Jesse hugged Sharpay tightly to himself and Sharpay forced a smile. "This girl is a star! But I have the contacts and together, we're unstoppable. Isn't that right my little Shar-fairy?"

"Heh... he is well connected." Sharpay stated through gritted teeth.

"Wow, you think you can hook me up man?" Derek queried.

"Yes, of course." Jesse smiled. "Send me your resume. Here's my card."

Jesse pulled out a bunch of business cards from his back pocket that had J-STAR MANAGEMENT written across it along with an email address and phone number and handed one to Derek.

"Cool." Derek took it and smiled and walked away.

"Call me!" Jesse called after him.

Sharpay slammed her clutch into his stomach the minute Derek was out of view and shot him a glare.

"What're you doing?" She hissed.

"Same thing you're doing." He smirked. "Living my dreams."

"Living a lie!" Sharpay frowned. "You have business cards! Real business cards. I just told one little lie but you've actually printed yours on paper."

"Oh fairy." Jesse rolled his eyes. "That wasn't one little lie. And J-STAR Management is real. It's no lie. You're my first client."

He gave her that irresistable goofy grin again and Sharpay smiled in annoyance.

"You're kidding me right?" She rolled her eyes.

"No!" He shook his head. "I'm serious. With your Hollywood-like looks and diva attitude and my contacts and business knowledge; I'm telling you, we'd be unstoppable, baby. All you have to do is ditch the losers, ditch your past and let me mould you into something new. I know what I'm doing. I'll make sure you're seen in the right places, I'll make sure the right people see you. I'm telling you, fairy, we've got a chemistry here. It could be big."

Sharpay looked at him and shook her head in disbelief. "You are strange, Strange." As she turned to walk away, he stepped in front of her.

"Think about it!" He persisted. "You could do what everyone else here does, get a lousy degree and end up doing community theatre for the rest of your life... or you can take advantage of your youth and your looks and jump the line and get famous now. Fame equals money and influence. And influence, my friend, equals you getting those big movie roles and record deals."

"I can't take you seriously, you know that." She giggled after a while.

"I know." He sighed. "You have no idea how good we could be."

"You make it sound so easy-"

"It is easy!" Jesse affirmed. "All you have to do is change a few things and let me manage you..."

"OK, this is getting creepy." Sharpay sighed and moved past him. "All of this is getting weird."

"Where are you going?" Jesse queried.

"Home!" Sharpay shot back.

Jesse watched her go; frowning.

Sharpay walked out of the house and felt an empty feeling in her stomach and deep inside. She had come here tonight in such high spirits and was now leaving feeling demoralised. The only reason Derek had been interested was because he thought she was something that she wasn't. That left her with a hole in her heart. It upset her. It was then, as the cold night's air whipped against her naked arms, that she realised the difference Troy would've made if he was in her life right now.

In a situation like this, he wouldn't have encouraged her to go out in her sluttiest clothes and attract everyone's attention and fight with Aliyah. He would've curled up on the couch with her, a big tub of ice cream and they would've watched SNL and he would've made his dumb and lame jokes and made her feel better about herself... with her being who she was and with her staying true to herself.

She felt tears sting her eyes as she pulled open Jesse's car door and slipped in.

She felt like LA was a whole other world but her heart was still in high school... still in Albuquerque, still with Troy.

It tore her apart.

* * *

**AN:** Hey guys. Sorry it took a week and more to update but I wanted this chapter to be a good one. I feel like this chapter isn't good, it's probably the worst I've written in this WHOLE series... so be honest and if there's anything negative you want to say; say it. If it's positive then PLEASE say it. Please please please **review!** I live for reviews. I'm going to update at least TWICE this week so keep checking back. Next chapter is coming very, very soon! I'm writing as we speak. By the way, BIG WHOOP to Slumdog Millionaire - that movie is epic and it deserves all 8 Oscars. Also, RIP Heath Ledger and the Oscar that came a year too late. Anyways, REVIEW!


	5. IMPORTANT NOTE

Hi guys,

I have a new update coming very, VERY soon for you so please keep checking back.

I'm just leaving a quick note to tell you about something that literally has me squealing like a little girl right now and I need to thank YOU guys for it because you made it happen!

As many of you who PM me know, I get a lot of PM's and so don't often get a chance to respond for a while because I have a lot of them to root through. Now that I've started college, it's been harder to keep up with the influx of messages in my inbox but today, finally, after weeks of putting it off; I had a browse around. Your messages are very, very sweet and give me so much inspiration so thank youuuu! One message was from a user called dotmoon and it was informing me that I had been _nominated in the DotMoon awards as one of the best HSM stories written in 2008._

I'm embarassed to admit I have no idea what the DotMoon awards are so I checked out their website, **www . dotmoon . net ** and saw it was a really cool place that kind of binds all areas of fanfiction on the Internet together.

This made me REALLY happy! Thank YOU guys so much for reviewing and getting this story noticed. It means so so so much you don't even understand. I have to admit, Ryan Evan's desire to write is my own desire to write and the way life hasn't quite worked out for him to enable him the privilege of writing is kind of my own experience of life. So to have this noticed means sooo much.

Now for the SAD part, I found out because I hadn't been checking my PM's that dotmoon had sent me two PM's: one telling me of my nomination and another one informing me they needed my permission by March 1st or they could not feature me in the nominations. Now, of COURSE, I would love to be part of the nominations but it is already March 1st today... but I sent them a desperate PM nonetheless and we shall see what happens. So keep your fingers crossed for me.

Thank you AGAIN for what you guys do. For reading this story. For being passionate about it. This kind of story-writing works two ways; it doesn't succeed unless there's someone on the other end taking it all in, critiquing what needs to be corrected and applauding what is well done and most of all - enjoying the twists and turns that come with every new plot line. So THANK YOU!!! I will let you know what happens but keep checking the dotmoon website to see if I am nominated and please vote for me if you think I deserve it - I certainly don't, I think you're all on crack but I love it!

Much, MUCH love,

ZacEfronFiction

xoxo


	6. The Rat Race

_**Chapter 5: The Rat Race**_

_Los Angeles_

Jesse Strange took off his sunglasses and leaned back on the lawn chair; running a hand through his dark, wavy hair and letting out an exhausted sigh.

He was sitting at his parents' house by the pool. It was a scorching hot Monday morning so he was dressed in a tight, white t-shirt and brown swimming trunks. On the patio table to one side of him sat a half-empty glass of a murky yellow and white mixture.

He rubbed his temples with his thumb and forefinger, his eyes scrunched tight; the inside of his head was pounding like hell.

From behind him, he heard the sliding doors that led into the kitchen gratingly part as someone opened them and then stepped out into the back yard. He groaned inwardly as he heard the click-clacking of heels; his eyes still closed.

"Hangover?" The female voice queried; a slight mocking edge to it.

Jesse put his hand down and looked up to see a petite red-head in a turquoise tank top, burgundy shorts and red open-toed sandals standing in front of him with her hands on her hips.

"Hey." He spoke; his throat was hoarse so it came out as more of a croak. Aliyah smirked and slid into the lawn chair opposite his; sitting down with one leg crossed over the other.

Jesse reached across the table, reaching for his glass of strange orangey mixture but his reflexes were too slow; Aliyah dashed forward and picked the glass up off the table before he could reach it. He groaned, as is too tired to bother, and slumped back in his chair.

_God, he really did feel like hell. He'd only had two shots of Vodka the night before; that he could recall..._

Aliyah peered down into the murky drink and a disgusted expression fluttered across her face.

"Yuck." She stated; handing the glass to him. "What's in that shit?"

"It's my special drink." Jesse managed a small smile this time. "I call it... my Monday Morning Early Class Special."

"Yeah, well, hurry up because you owe me a ride to campus and I don't want to be late." Aliyah spoke with a roll of her eyes and picked up a magazine off the table and began to browse through it.

Jesse took a tentative sip of his drink and then made a disgusted face as he forced himself to swallow it down. Admittedly, he hadn't achieved much in his first year at UCLA but he had perfected the best hangover-cure-drink ever and in his eyes; that was something. His head continued to feel like it was about to explode. The brightness of the early morning sun wasn't helping matters either. He flipped on his sunglasses again. The world was sepia-tone all of a sudden and his eyes stopped watering. God, how he hated Mondays....

"Oh shit." Jesse breathed out loud at his instant realisation. "It's Monday."

"What?" Aliyah looked up from her magazine at him with a frown.

He suddenly remembered Sharpay Evans and the text message he had erased from her cell phone on Saturday evening.

"Shit, shit..." Jesse shook his head. "God, I'm not prepared."

"For what, dufus?" Aliyah grimaced, confused by his behaviour as she watched him stand up and look around but then, as another tremor of pain shot through his head; he sat back down and decided to finish his magic formula first. He picked up his drink and chugged down a large mouthful this time and didn't bother to answer Aliyah. She flipped her magazine shut now; annoyed by his silence and hit him on the knee with it.

"Sharpay Evan's, her boyfriend, Troy Bolton, the small-town corn-eating hick boy is coming into town today to fuck everything up." Jesse spat in annoyance.

Aliyah took a moment to fully register this and then grimaced.

"Fuck what up?" She shot. "What're you up to with her?"

"I have plans." Jesse shrugged.

Aliyah looked at him for a moment and then burst out into laughter.

"W-wait, please don't tell me this is like what you tried to do with Blair Marie-Carter." She shook her head as she laughed.

Jesse grimaced this time and looked down at his glass.

"No because this time it'll be different, it'll be better." He spoke seriously. "I've learnt from all the rookie mistakes I made last year."

"Oh sure." Aliyah smirked and then spoke in a mocking tone. "I'll make you a star, Blair, you're beautiful Blair, you've got star-power, Blair... and where'd she end up? She still checked in at Beverly Hills Rehab Centre?"

Jesse glared at the question and looked away.

"You're an idiot, Jesse Strange." Aliyah affirmed. "You think you can mould her into a star?"

"She's already a star." Jesse stated firmly. "She just needs someone to manage her personal life and give her that push in the right direction... Trust me, I've got this all figured out."

Aliyah shook her head again as she continued to laugh.

"And the boyfriend, he's what?" Aliyah queried.

"He'll cramp her style." Jesse shrugged. "So will that weirdo family of hers. Gay brother. Kooky hippie mom. Jesus."

"Gay brother?!" Aliyah laughed even harder. "God, that girl gets funnier by the minute."

"Well, I'll be the one laughing when she's walking the red carpet, won't I?" Jesse smirked and winced as he did so. He shouldn't smile. It hurt like hell.

"I think you're crazy." Aliyah shrugged. "But at the same time, you're pathetic attempts to make her relevant are kind of cute..."

Jesse grimaced.

"But what isn't cute is you bringing that bitch to parties she's not invited to. You should know better than to mess with the way things are around here." Aliyah's expression hardened. Jesse stared at her with a frown. Aliyah stood up, dropping the magazine into his lap and shooting him a hard look.

"Next time you pull a stunt like that, you'll get more than just a bad hangover." She hissed.

Before her words could fully sink in for Jesse, she had turned and was walking back into the direction of the house. That's when it registered and his eyes widened in surprise.

"You spiked my drink?!" He spluttered in shock.

"Hurry up and get in the car." Aliyah yelled, not bothering to look back. "We're gonna be late!"

With that, she disappeared into the house. Jesse swallowed hard as he thought back to the night before. He had been feeling slightly down because Sharpay wasn't exactly speaking to him. He had dropped her home on Saturday night and she had remained silent and stiff-upper-lipped all throughout the 30 minute drive. The next morning, he had called her three times before she had finally answered and explicitly told him she wasn't 'in the mood' to talk to him. She said she was re-evaluating her life in Los Angeles. Now, what the fuck did that mean? One thing was for sure, she hadn't liked crashing a party and pretending to be something she wasn't. She wasn't comfortable with it. He had to get her to be comfortable with it. She had the potential but she had none of the drive. She didn't understand the realities of making it big in Hollywood. Sometimes you had to compromise your morals. Hell, fuck morals. So, that phone call with her had dampened his mood. Aliyah had suggested they go to a Tapas bar in West Hollywood where Paris Hilton normally spent her Sunday evenings drinking. Nothing cheered Jesse up more than that kind of scene; screaming photographers, flashbulbs going off, divas being... divas. So he, Aliyah and a few friends had gone for drinks. She had spiked his drink. He knew there would be repercussions for crossing her but this was a new low for even her to drop down to. He smiled. She had quite a lot of fire in her. He had to admire that. As he smiled; he winced from the pain. Damn her.

* * *

_Albuquerque_

Troy Bolton stepped out of a black taxi and gestured for the driver to wait. The driver nodded in acknowledgement as Troy turned away to face the Montez's house. It was a cloudy, grey morning. Troy was wearing a blue sweater and denim jeans with converse. He had had a hair cut; his shaggy brown hair was shorter and much more neatly styled. He had kind of let his appearance go since his discovery that he was going to be a father; he had had other things on his mind. But now, he looked well-groomed and almost like a normal teenage boy. He grimaced a little as he smelt that stinky cologne his father had insisted on dousing him with. It was horrible.

He walked up the pathway leading to Gabriella's front porch and knocked on the door. He was about forty minutes from the airport and his flight left in two hours. By that evening, he would be in Los Angeles and probably at Sharpay's apartment. He had booked himself into a hotel just in case she didn't want him to the spend the night... which was probably going to be the case. He was making a quick stop to Gabriella's home to say his goodbyes. She had also called him and asked that he specifically stop by to see him; she apparently had something to tell him she could only tell him in person.

Mrs. Montez was the one to come to the door. She was dressed in a smart suit and gave Troy a tight smile.

"Good morning, Troy." She greeted him. "So you're all set, huh?" She cast a glance at the taxi outside her home.

"Um, pretty much." He gave her an uncertain smile. "I just need to see Gabriella before I go."

Mrs. Montez invited him in and then she called up the stairs to Gabriella. They could hear movement coming from upstairs which signalled that Gabriella was on her way.

"I was just on my way to work." Mrs. Montez smiled. "Gabriella didn't get much sleep last night; the baby kept us up most of the night."

"Oh right..." Troy gave her an uneasy smile in return. "So um, no-no thoughts as to a name?"

"Well, I had a few ideas." Mrs. Montez shrugged a little. "But at the end of the day, it's Gabriella's choice and she's indecisive."

"Right." Troy agreed.

Mrs. Montez looked at the clock and frowned a little to herself.

"I'm running late..." She sighed. "Listen, Troy, you have a safe flight and I um, I hope things work out for you."

"Thanks." Troy replied; uncertain of how sincere Mrs. Montez was being.

"I have to run." She stated, heading towards the front door and calling out to Gabriella. "I'll be back by five, honey!"

With that, the door slammed shut behind her and Troy was left alone standing in the Montez's hallway. A second later, Gabriella appeared at the top of the stairs. Troy smiled up at her. She was dressed in a light blue nightgown and she was carrying a carrier bag.

"H-hey." She stammered out a greeting.

"Hey." Troy greeted back as Gabriella reached the bottom of the stairs and walked over to him.

"S-s-so you're really g-g-going?" She queried; her big brown eyes wide with concern.

"Yeah..." Troy breathed barely above a whisper. His heart was pounding fast. Was Gabriella having second thoughts about him leaving? He didn't want to go and leave her with the burden of caring for a child that may be his especially not so soon after the birth. She did look exhausted.

"Good." Gabriella seemed to breathe a sigh of relief. Troy looked at her puzzled as she pushed the carrier bag into his hands.

"Wh-what is this?" He looked down at it and saw a sparkly shiny crown and felt something crinkly wrapped around it.

Outside, the taxi driver had become impatient because he honked his horn – three times.

"This is my going away present?" Troy smiled thinly. "Heh, a pink tiara. You always knew what I liked."

He leaned down and kissed her cheek. Gabriella giggled and then shook her head; her eyes were full of tears.

"N-no." She looked into his eyes. "You t-t-take this and give Sharpay the prom q-queen moment she deserves. T-this is rightfully hers, after all..."

Troy watched her carefully and then looked down into the bag. It was the Prom Queen sash and crown. The one Gabriella had won – well, really, Sharpay had won it. It was a sweet gesture of Gabriella to make and it warmed Troy's heart because it left no uncertainty in him that Gabriella might be unhappy with him leaving.

"Of course." He nodded, feeling tears sting his eyes as he thought about all the memories associated with prom. The night Sharpay had been poisoned. The darker identity that Kelsi had hidden.

"Thank you, Gabs, this is great." Troy pulled Gabriella into a tight hug. Gabriella breathed in his scent and sniffed back tears.

"Y-you'll miss your-your f-flight." She sighed; pulling out of the hug.

"I just want to say goodbye to the baby." Troy stated and that moment; the taxi driver honked once – but it was a long, drawn-out honk that revealed his impatience. Troy groaned in frustration and Gabriella smiled through her tears. Troy looked at her. This was it. He was going. There was so much he wanted to say to Gabriella. They hadn't spoken much over the past month and now he felt like opening up to her but he didn't have the words or the time.

"I-Right... right." He stated, trying to make sense of his own thoughts as he concocted a farewell in his mind. "Listen, Gabriella..."

"It's OK, Troy." She cut in. "Go."

He smiled widely at her; a look of relief swept across his face as he turned on his heels and hurried out of the Montez's home.

As the door clicked closed behind him, Gabriella sat down with a sigh on the foot of the stairs; feeling drained. It was at that moment that she heard her baby boy begin to cry from upstairs. She sighed and got up again.

* * *

_Los Angeles_

Sharpay Evans' sassy pink convertible pulled up into a parking spot near the Drama building at UCLA. It was a scorching hot Monday morning. Sharpay unclipped her belt and pulled her sunglasses to the top of her head; resting them neatly over her golden hair. Her face was expressionless. She stepped out of the car, dressed in faded skinny jeans and a white halter top and swung her black Chanel bag over her shoulder.

The normal bright, vibrantly dressed Sharpay seemed to have faded away along with the weekend.

Sharpay had realised after the unfortunate events of Saturday night that she just wasn't cut out to play games anymore. She was tired of it.

As she walked up the steps that led towards the lecture theatre where her 9AM class was; she wore a glum look on her face.

Coming out here to LA... it had sounded so attractive, colourful and fun once upon a time. Like life would be an endless party out here. The minute she had arrived her; she had been anxious: she had wanted to be accepted, she had wanted to impress, she had wanted to be popular, she had wanted to be a part of that never-ending party. Now, it seemed to her as if she had spent so long chasing after that metaphorical party that she had forgotten the real reason she was here. She was here for an education. UCLA was what was going to decide her fate; her performance academically here was what would eventually decide if she had any talent and if she could make it in this business. She had come to the stunning revelation that she'd been to classes for an entire week and she hadn't made any notes; purchased any textbooks or joined any clubs – not even the Drama Society!

These realisations had come to her as she spent her Sunday ignoring calls from Jesse Strange and drowning in her own misery; wondering what on earth happened to her life and how she had hit such a low.

Now, she was taking it all down a notch. She wasn't going to try to be anything. She was going to take each day as it came. Today, the day that had come had called for the wearing of denim. So here she was; wearing the denim – and not a rhinestone in sight.

She stepped into the lecture theatre and kept her eyes down; not wanting to make eye contact with anyone. She slid into the first seat in the front row and pulled off her bag. The lecturer wasn't even here yet. Wonderful(!) That left her open to be exploited by Aliyah and her cronies should they spot her.

Just as she thought this thought; she damned herself for thinking it because speak of the devil...

"Oh, look, its daddy's little princess."

Sharpay looked up from where she was seated to see Aliyah waltz into the lecture hall. Clive and Damien weren't by her side but a familiar dark-haired guy was. Derek.

_Shit._

"Hello, Sharpay." Aliyah smirked and walked over to her.

Sharpay suddenly felt very small and wanted to disappear into the ground. She fixed Aliyah with a stern glare but didn't speak. Derek gave Sharpay a small shy smile. He looked embarrassed.

Wrong. He looked embarrassed _for_ her.

"It's OK, you don't need to say anything." Aliyah shrugged at her silence with nonchalance. "I just wanted to thank you from the bottom of my heart for gracing us little freshmen with your presence at our lame frat party. It's so nice that you could squeeze that in right in-between sipping martinis with Brangelina and waltzing the red carpet of some hot shot premiere."

Sharpay's eyes narrowed as Aliyah chuckled.

"Dude, you're so lame." Aliyah shook her head in disgust at Sharpay. "I can't believe you and Jesse almost fooled poor little Derek here into thinking you were something significant."

Derek gave Aliyah an uncomfortable smile.

"Uh, yeah... well, it's cool." Derek shrugged.

"No." Aliyah shook her head; still smiling that sickly sweet smile. "It's never right to lie." She put on a fake pout. Sharpay grimaced. "Lying is bad. It's wrong. You're no different from anyone else Sharpay; you don't have a right to lie or think you're better than the rest of us. The sooner you get that into that thick skull of yours; the better."

Sharpay continued to grimace. She could feel her face go burning red as the blood rushed to her cheeks. _Fuck this bitch._ She bit her lip.

Satisfied that she had made Sharpay squirm enough and inadvertently made Derek feel uncomfortable too; Aliyah walked away and hurried up the steps to seats further back and up in the lecture theatre.

Derek stood there for a moment and Sharpay wished he would just go away.

"Hey, uh... it really is cool." Derek smiled in a placating way. Sharpay looked at him and managed a weak smile.

"Thank you." She nodded.

"Yeah, don't sweat it." He nodded. "I'm not the kind to hold grudges."

"I appreciate it." Sharpay smiled hopefully now as Derek nodded once again and walked off to find a seat.

She was suddenly thankful that Aliyah had exposed her like that in front of Derek. She wasn't thankful to Aliyah. No, she still hated that bitch. No, rather she was thankful that she no longer had to put on an act or live up to great expectations that she thought others expected from her. Derek had just witnessed Aliyah socially murder her and he wasn't running away from her like she was a leper. Rather, he didn't seem to care. He didn't care that she was average. He didn't care that she had even lied. He wasn't bothered by it. In Derek, Sharpay found a little hope that maybe LA wasn't going to be as rough as she thought it might be; after all, if there were people as carefree and free from judgement as Derek then maybe she could survive here after all. One thing was for certain though; she was fed up of trying to run after people, trying to make them see that she was special... she just wanted to be happy with who she was and not worry about making others happy and people like Derek might just let that happen for her.

A smile still played on her lips as the lecturer walked in; in deep discussion with Jesse Strange. Sharpay groaned inwardly as the lecturer made her way to her podium and Jesse caught her eye and walked over to her. He slid into the seat next to hers.

"So, listen, fairy... I'm willing to forgive your behaviour this weekend." He whispered over to her.

A frown creased at Sharpay's forehead at his words.

"Forgive _my _behaviour?!" She hissed, whirling around to face him. The anger melted away as she saw the smirk on his face. He really knew all the right buttons to push. She turned away again.

"I'm not the kind to dwell on the past." Jesse continued with a shrug as Sharpay turned to focus on the lecturer. "I like to think ahead. Like tonight. Two tickets to the theatre. You and me, fairy."

"Uck." Sharpay grimaced. "No. I need to focus on schoolwork. I'm done playing games."

"It is work!" Jesse frowned. "The play's The Duchess of Malfi."

"The who of what?" Sharpay shot him an angry glance. "Just shut up. I'm trying to concentrate."

Jesse looked like he was going to open his mouth to say something but then decided against it. He sat back in his seat and quietened down. Sharpay leaned forward in her seat and scribbled the date on her notebook as the lecturer started to speak.

"Good morning." The lecturer smiled out at the masses. She was a thin woman in a white cardigan and burgundy pants. She had slight wrinkles around her eyes and mouth and her hair was wispy and white; it was combed back in a tight bun. She was a thin, tall woman with an elegant and theatrical grace about her. Something about her despite her age and less than attractive choice of clothing demanded attention; something about her intrigued Sharpay. The woman was charismatic. She had a strong stage presence.

"Now, I understand you are all freshman and it is an early Monday morning..." She smiled tightly. "A very, very early Monday morning. However, I would like you all to please wake up from your weekend. Come on. Shake yourselves awake."

Sharpay blinked at the woman as she stared at them with a smile. She shook her head with a small laugh.

"Stand up. Please." She laughed.

Sharpay looked around uncertainly. She realised other people were also shooting uncertain glances around the room; wandering what to do having been caught in such an unorthodox teaching predicament. Not to Sharpay's surprise; Jesse was the first to bounce to his feet with a big grin on his face. The lecturer smiled at him approvingly.

"Very good, Mr. Strange." She smirked. "Now, if we can just get the rest of the freshman class to follow your lead..."

As soon as the sentence was out; people were already shuffling to their feet, putting down their notebooks, bags, scarves, hats, purses and so forth – Sharpay included. Jesse nudged Sharpay with his arm and Sharpay shot him a murderous look. He returned it with a big smug grin.

"I had her last year too." Jesse whispered to Sharpay. "She's cool once you get used to her style."

Sharpay ignored him; determined to focus.

"Alright, good." The lecturer nodded. "Now, I want you to shake it out."

Once again, there was an awkward silence in the lecturer theatre as everyone wandered just what exactly 'shaking it out' meant. Sharpay knew everyone else was just as confused as she was. She suddenly felt on equal footing with everyone else. A boost of confidence surged through her. She raised her hand. She didn't even realise she was doing it until the lecturer's eyes locked onto hers. By then, it was too late. She couldn't take it back. The lecturer surveyed her with interest.

"Yes?" She queried; her eyes meeting Sharpay's terrified ones. Sharpay shot her hand down quickly. Her heart rate quickened. People's heads were turning in her direction. She could feel the eyes bore into her.

In all her life; she had never ever felt so self-conscious. In another time and another place; she was used to having eyes on her all the time. It was the most natural thing in the world to her. Now, she was out of her element and felt hideously awkward at all the eyeballs that were taking her in; dissecting her, picking her apart... tearing her apart. She swallowed hard.

"Uh, well, I was w-wandering what you meant." Sharpay cleared her throat. "You said shake it out?"

A thin smile spread across the lecturer's lips. Sharpay's heart pounded in her chest. She felt like a big, stupid idiotic idiot. Ugh. Why? Why did she have to ask? Why?! She could only imagine Damien, Derek, Clive and Aliyah's reactions to her dumb question.

"That... that is an excellent question."

Sharpay's mouth opened a little in surprise to the lecturer's words. Sharpay was sure that everyone else in the room was shocked just as much as she was; if not more so.

"I'm glad someone finally decided to take advantage of one of the greatest gifts man has." The lecturer smiled proudly. "The ability to question; our sense of curiosity and our need to satisfy it."

There was a silence. Everyone stood there. The lecturer moved across the floor to the other side of the room; keeping her eyes trained on the students before her.

"Make no mistake; you are all very privileged to be here." She continued. "You need to take advantage of this opportunity. All of you. One way to do that is to ask as many questions as you possibly can because the tuition providers here are some of the best in the country. Learn as much as you can from them and me and the only way you're going to be able to do that is if you start satisfying your curiosities and questioning."

More silence.

"If you're not curious..." The lecturer's grey eyes flitted to the other side of the room and locked onto Sharpay. "Then you're in the wrong place."

Silence. Sharpay swallowed hard. Her heartbeat sounded so loud.

"Now, to answer your question Miss...." She looked at Sharpay enquiringly.

"Uh, Evans." Sharpay spoke up. "Sharpay Evans."

"Hm." The lecturer smiled, pleased. "What a simply magnificent name. My name is less... extravagant. Wilhelmina Szasz. You may call me Mrs. Szasz... or Willie. Choose wisely."

A chuckle rippled through the students. Sharpay found herself smiling. Jesse laughed a little too heartily. His happy-go-lucky attitude was really starting to work her last nerve.

"Now, to return to your question." Mrs. Szasz smiled. "You must shake it out. Shake out your weekend and wake yourselves up. What you perceive to be 'shaking it out' is entirely up to you. One thing you will learn in theatre is that everything is open to interpretation and it is through your unique interpretations of scripts that you can truly make a performance your own."

Sharpay listened to this and took it in. She was beginning to really like Szasz. She was actually beginning to respect the woman. She obviously knew what she was talking about. Sharpay wished she could write that last piece of advice down but as she was standing up and her notebook was behind her in her seat; she didn't want to risk turning around and drawing more attention to herself.

"So commence." Szasz ended her speech abruptly. She blinked expectantly at the crowd of uncertain faces before her. Sharpay felt nervous again.

Beside her, Jesse was stepping forward from his seat and nearer to Mrs. Szasz. Sharpay's eyes widened in alarm at his behaviour.

_What the heck was he doing?! Oh God, trust him to be the attention-seeking little whore._

Before she or any of the other students knew what was happening; Jesse was dancing. He was _dancing._ Badly. His arms were flailing around and his hips were swivelling around. He was nodding his head to an imaginary beat. And the damned fool was doing it all with a perfectly innocent smile on his face. Mrs. Szasz watched him for a moment and then a grin broke out across her face.

"Nicely done, Mr. Strange." She laughed. "I see you going to the top of the class this year. Which would be a whole two hundred and eighty places higher than last year when you were bottom."

A few people laughed.

Sharpay bit her bottom lip; finding herself giggling.

That's when everything kicked off. A few sprinkled laughs here and there and before anyone knew it; the entire class was dancing and shaking around like crazy. A guy and girl were doing the rumba. Jesse pulled Sharpay up to centre stage with him and the two mock-waltzed; mainly because she didn't know how to waltz. There was lots of laughing. It was like organised chaos in the large lecture theatre. Mrs. Szasz seemed to approve of the livelier, more creative class that was before her. Now she could really teach them something with the hopes that it would actually go into their heads.

"Alright, fun times over." Mrs. Szasz shook her head, laughing. "Sit down. Come on. The aim was to wake you up, not re-create your weekend." She looked pointedly at one couple who were getting a little too into their dancing.

Sharpay sheepishly took her seat and couldn't believe she had spent the last few minutes dancing around like a dork with the biggest grin on her face. Jesse sat down next to her and pulled his notebook into his lap. Sharpay looked at him. He looked up at her. She smiled softly. He returned the smile. They didn't say anything. A moment later, Mrs. Szasz started talking about stage presence and the play they would be staging this year at the end of the year – The Duchess of Malfi. As she handed out copies of the play; Sharpay looked at Jesse and shook her head with a small smile.

"So I assume you're coming tonight?" He whispered.

Sharpay just smiled in return.

"I'm taking that as a yes."

With that, the two settled into silence and the class wore on. Sharpay had forgotten her disastrous weekend. Why hadn't she done this before? She shouldn't have focused on being popular; she should've focused on what she loved doing which was this. This was what she loved doing and it was making her happy.

She leaned forward in her seat and began to scribble down the notes.

* * *

A nervous looking Troy Bolton sat stiffly in an aeroplane seat with his seatbelt fastened and black headphones plugged into his ears. His eyes were closed and his mouth was firmly shut but he did not appear relaxed. He sat at a window seat and beside him, through the narrow window; the hazy white clouds could be seen to drift by against a baby blue background. A clear sign that Troy was approaching sunny LA territory.

He was feeling a mixture of emotions. Firstly, he was a bundle of nerves. Sharpay hadn't made any attempt to contact him even though she knew the baby might not be his and that he was coming out specifically to see her. This did not seem like the Sharpay he knew. Sure, she was hurting but Sharpay wasn't the kind of girl to close herself off from someone when a situation drastically changed like his had. It made him wonder how much things had changed between him and Sharpay since she had been in Los Angeles. So, he was nervous about what had changed and was nervous because he didn't feel prepared to be reunited with a changed Sharpay. On the other hand, he felt elated. He was reuniting with Sharpay. It had been little over a month since they had last spoken but it felt like years ago now when he had sat in that hospital after the craziness of Kelsi Nielson and had been told he was going to be a father. It felt like too much time had passed and so he was excited to see her again. He was curious about what she would look like now, how she was doing, how she was finding UCLA... God, he missed her.

It was the fact that he missed her that much that stopped him from turning back and heading back to Albuquerque again. He needed to see her. He wanted to see her.

He leaned back in his sea and sighed; his eyes still closed.

_Only an hour to go now._

_

* * *

  
_

_New York_

"Of course, she's never going to admit that she was in the wrong." An annoyed female voice sighed. "I mean, she's Russian, she's got all that Russian pride and all the other bullshit. Oh, God! Did I tell you – her name's Volchaka. I mean, I saw it on the sheet and expected some big muscle-man, you know?"

Ryan Evans stared dully at the blonde sitting opposite him, behind her own mahogany desk; as she filled him in on every little bit of her weekend. He blinked now as she stared at him expectantly.

"Yeah, Cara." Ryan nodded. "I know what you mean."

"Right." Cara sighed. "It's just so frustrating. I mean, I'm a single mom. I work two jobs!"

Ryan nodded again and Cara continued. On and on she droned and Ryan found himself zoning out again.

He was sat on the fiftieth floor of a corporate business building in New York City. Hundreds of feet below him, the hustle and bustle of the biggest city in the world continued; cars honked, people paced, street vendors yelled. Up here, it was the same. People running around, running for coffee, running for photocopies, running to meetings, running to catch their taxis home... Ryan missed the weekend. He missed sitting at Caro Joe's and listening to that simple country music that depicted a simple small town where the pace was slow; where you could just... mosey along.

He inhaled deeply and looked away from Cara. She was busy click-clacking on the keyboard before her so her eyes were trained on the computer screen but her mouth was still moving at an insane speed; she was still gossiping about her catty Russian neighbour who refused to babysit her three year old son. She wouldn't notice that his attention was elsewhere. That in his mind; he was a million miles away.

As he turned away to look out of the window; he saw their neighbouring skyscraper. He could see clearly into the fiftieth office of theirs. It was like looking into a mirror. Men and women in suits sitting behind desks, running around on errands... and that's when he saw her.

The distance between their two buildings was about 15 metres but in the moment their eyes locked; it felt as if he was there right with her. The background noise of the office disappeared and for a moment; her warm brown eyes lent him an escape.

She had perfectly coiffed, professional brown hair up to her chin. Her face was milky white; pale almost. She was wearing a grey suit jacket and white blouse. She was sitting at a desk near the window; placed exactly like his own desk was and she had her head turned to look out of the window just as he had. She smiled. He smiled back. She raised a hand and waved. He laughed and waved back.

"Ooh, whose your friend?"

The brunette looked beyond Ryan to something behind Ryan and Ryan turned at the sound of the voice. It was Cara. She was standing behind him. She waved at the brunette. The brunette chuckled soundlessly and waved.

"I don't know." Ryan smiled.

"Well, I'm going to grab a coffee." Cara said, turning back to him. "You want your decaf?"

"Uh, yeah, thanks Cara." Ryan nodded. Cara smiled back and walked away. Ryan looked back, hoping the girl was still sitting at her desk. She was. She had her head down now; she was writing something. Ryan frowned. There went his lunch-time entertainment. Then, she looked up. Ryan found his heartbeat increase with speed; he was really happy to have her attention, he realised. He saw her gesture with her second finger '1 minute' and then reach for something... her desk phone. A moment later, his phone rang. He quickly picked it up and looked over.

"Hi there."

Her voice had that uptown New York account. He smiled.

"Hi." He answered back. "How'd you get this number?"

"I uh, used to have a thing with the guy who sat at that desk before you." She smirked.

"Oh, so I'm not your first?" Ryan looked at her, exaggerating a crestfallen expression. He heard her tinkling laughter on the other end.

"Actually, it was a girl and she's a good friend of mine." She corrected. "I'm Abigail Berkeley."

"Ryan Evans." He replied coolly.

"So you're new? Well, welcome to the rat race, kiddo." She laughed and shrugged.

"Yeah, I'm getting the race part a little too well." Ryan chuckled.

"Speaking of race... I'm late." Abigail gave him a quick wave and hung up.

"Uh, bye?" Ryan spoke to the dial tone. He watched her bolt up from her seat, grab a few files and her purse and hurry away. He watched her until she disappeared further back into the building. And then he was alone again with his thoughts.

* * *

_Los Angeles_

"Will you hurry up?"

Sharpay rolled her eyes as Jesse's knocked on her bedroom door. It was locked, thankfully, so he couldn't come in and drag her out.

She was sat on her bed, pulling on a thin pair of sleek black tights to match her short, white summer's dress. Some white boots would finish the look off well. Her hair was already straightened and moussed.

"Sharpay, please, we are going to a freaking play." Jesse's voice sounded agitated now.

"I'm nearly done!" Sharpay snapped up. "The play doesn't start for another 7 hours, you freak, so cool it!"

"Yes, but we have lunch reservations in twenty minutes." Jesse snapped back.

Sharpay sighed. She pulled on her white boots and then pondered whether she should get a jacket. It was a very warm day but the weather was always so damn unpredictable and Autumn was just around the corner, who knows when a little rain drizzle might strike –

"Sharpay!"

She frowned in agitation but decided not to respond. Instead, she walked over to her closet to pick out a jacket.

Jesse really did work her last nerve at times but she was beginning to see that she at times worked his last nerve too. They had a friendship of compromise. He did seem to care for her and he did seem motivated in his studies; he was taking her to this play after all and he seemed popular with the professors despite having failed all their classes the year before. Then again, Jesse Strange was a people person. He was good at being a friend and good at networking. She didn't really care about the networking part anymore because being popular and having a thriving social life just didn't seem to be what made her happy anymore but she did care that he was a good friend. He did go out of his way for her on numerous occasions. That's what she needed in a town full of bitchy, back-biting piranhas; she needed someone who was going to stand by her.

As she stepped out of her bedroom, Jesse stood there glowering.

"She emerges. Finally." He grimaced.

"Now, now." Sharpay smiled. "Don't pout. You'll mess that pretty face of yours up."

Jesse frowned. Sharpay laughed light-heartedly. So Jesse didn't like a taste of his own medicine as he didn't seem to like the same kind of cutting remark he would normally make in such a situation.

"If we're late for lunch, I swear, you're paying." Jesse stated, smiling a little now.

"Isn't it a little too early for lunch? I mean I skipped breakfast because we had a nine AM start and it's only hitting twelve PM now." Sharpay frowned. It was true. Class had finished at around ten fifteen AM for them and she and Jesse and gone home to get ready. Jesse had turned up at eleven AM and then spent the next hour hassling her to hurry up when the play didn't even start until well into the evening. She did find him puzzling. She didn't realise that he needed to keep her away from her apartment for as long as possible today in order to avoid Troy Bolton. Maybe he would arrive here, wait around a couple of hours, get bored and then get lost if she wasn't home. Well, that was Jesse's plan for now. He was just a distraction. A distraction that he and Sharpay didn't need – not if she was going to be a star.

"Well, we're booked so too bad." Jesse stated, linking an arm through hers as they stepped out of her apartment door and headed for the elevator.

"So where exactly is this restaurant?" Sharpay queried as the elevator doors closed on them and Jesse hit the GROUND button. He smiled knowingly now at her question.

"Well, you'll love it." He shrugged. "I mean, it's nowhere major... just a little place called The Ivy. You know, I mean, sure John Travolta and Michael Jackson have been known to dine there in their time but... you know."

Sharpay's grip around his arm tightened. She grimaced. Jesse frowned.

"The Ivy?" She looked at him. "You think I'd love it?"

That's when she realised that despite his intentions to be a good friend; Jesse really didn't know her at all.

"Yeah." Jesse stated, not following.

"The place filled with paparazzi and celebrities and social sycophants?" Sharpay grimaced.

"Uh..." Jesse frowned now. "Come on, it's the Ivy. It's not easy to get into. I had to pull some strings, let me tell you –"

"Yeah, well you shouldn't have wasted your time." Sharpay said dismissively and shrugged her arm out of his. The elevator doors popped open and Sharpay stepped out. Jesse's mouth hung open wordlessly in surprise and he quickly followed after her.

"Hey, hey." He shook his head. "I thought you loved this stuff. I mean, you do know The Ivy, right?"

Sharpay sighed and whirled around to face him.

"Of course I know what The Ivy is." She replied. "When I was young, we took a trip to California once and we tried to get a reservation here... so I know."

"So?" Jesse looked questioningly into her eyes.

"It's... it's not my scene." She shrugged.

Jesse's eyes widened at her. "Not your scene? You're Sharpay Evans! You live for this!"

"Really?" Sharpay's resolve stiffened. "Well maybe I don't want to live chasing after the limelight, maybe sucking my way up to the top makes me feel like crap and I'd rather do what makes me happy."

Jesse raised an eyebrow at this and then shook his head at her. She was so naive.

"Yeah, sure." He shrugged. "Whatever."

"What?" Sharpay's mood was turning sour now.

"It doesn't matter." He sighed. "Let's go to lunch, we'll talk more then."

"Fine but please, don't bother with these extravagant gestures ..." Sharpay sighed. "They're wasted on me."

"Sure." Jesse nodded, swallowing hard.

He wasn't taking a word she said seriously. She was finding adjustment to Los Angeles hard. She didn't have an established reputation here so of course she wasn't going to sail to the top with ease; she was going to have to work for it but it seemed she was afraid of that work and happy to sit back and let the opportunities pass her by. He knew the minute she got to The Ivy, the minute she was in that buzzing atmosphere, in the presence of such greatness; the thirst would return and she'd come to her sense. You couldn't live in LA and not catch the 'fame fever.' She was going to catch it again soon enough.

As they stepped out of the building, Jesse pulled on his shades and Sharpay linked her arm through his again.

"Shall we take my car or yours?" She queried, looking up at him.

"Sharpay?!"

Sharpay stopped dead at the voice. Jesse's mouth hung open again. Sharpay turned to see him. He was standing by her pink convertible; a bag at his feet and a rucksack on his shoulders. He was wearing big sunglasses which he now pulled off. He was dressed casually. His eyes locked into hers.

In his eyes, reflected was confusion, astonishment and sadness.

In her eyes, there was confusion, astonishment and surprise.

"Troy!"

In that instant, she let Jesse's arm drop and ran to him. The tears started to flow. He wrapped his arms around her. As they held each other, it felt like the most natural thing in the world.

* * *

**AN: Sorry for the _very_ late update. College life has been hectic but now I'm free to write because it's summer so regular updates are coming; I PROMISE. I just want to dedicate this to **Junofan93 **who contacted me and got me back in the writing business; thanks for that! Also, R.I.P Michael Jackson. 3 **


	7. Messages

**Chapter 6: Messages**

_Los Angeles_

God, it was like watching a train-wreck happen.

Sharpay had her arms tightly wrapped around the sandy-haired boys' waist. He was clinging onto her too; his head buried in her golden hair.

Jesse grimaced and took hold of one of Sharpay's arms and gently pried her off Troy.

"Well, this has been cute." Jesse smiled fakely. "You must be Troy. I'm Jesse. Sharpay's best friend. And we are late for lunch; so we'll be seeing you."

With that, he gave Sharpay's arm a stiff tug as he turned away from Troy's bemused expression. He felt a tug back as Sharpay resisted. She pulled her arm away from him and barely even registered what he had said. Her mind was too busy spinning. She couldn't take her eyes off Troy. It was like she'd seen a ghost. He was looking back at her, knowing the effect he'd had on her; the way he'd made her heart stop beating, made her lips go dry and her legs turn to jelly... and he was smirking slightly. He was pleased. She was overwhelmed.

"Wha-how?" She shook her head in bewilderment at him as she felt tears sting her eyes. "How are you _here_?"

Now it was Troy's turn to be confused. He frowned slightly. None of this seemed to make sense. Sharpay was genuinely surprised to see him. Had she not taken Ryan seriously?

"I told you I'd come." He smiled sheepishly. "I mean, I told Ryan. Ryan told you. And now here I am."

_Oh shit._ Jesse sighed as he watched everything deteriorate before him. _Well, now I'm fucked._

Sharpay looked at Troy with confusion, not comprehending.

"No..." She shook her head, her blonde curls bobbing. "I... I didn't. I didn't get anything from Ryan."

She looked at Troy and their eyes met. A look of anger and annoyance flitted across Troy's face.

"He said he'd pass on my messages." Troy frowned. "I mean..." Troy was about to speak when he stopped and looked over at Jesse. He suddenly felt uncomfortable. He looked at the dark-haired boy with unease.

"Um, can we do this somewhere more private?" He asked Sharpay, trying not to meet Jesse's glares.

"Yo, fairy, we got lunch plans." Jesse stated impatiently. "Come on, you don't keep The Ivy waiting."

Sharpay looked at Jesse in annoyance. He really was ruining this reunion for her. Then again, it wasn't much of a reunion. She was so mixed up right now at what she felt. What the hell was Troy doing here? She was finally starting to be OK without him, finally starting to find some focus in her life and accept the fact that he was riding off happily into the sunset with Little Miss Goody Two Shoes and Goody Two Shoes Junior. Then again, the minute she felt his skin on hers, felt his breath on her neck, those penetrating eyes meet hers... reason and logic went out of the window. She needed to talk to him, sort this out, sort her head out... away from Jesse.

"So go." She frowned, hoping he'd get the message.

"What?" He looked at her in shock. "I'm not lunching at The Ivy alone! It's a table for two. You know how lame that'd look – especially at The Ivy!"

"So we'll go." Sharpay smiled.

"WHAT?!" Jesse's mouth fell open in shock.

"See you later." She smiled widely and hurried into her car, digging out her keys. Jesse looked at her with wide eyes and shook his head.

"No, no you don't!" Jesse grimaced.

Troy chuckled a little; Sharpay didn't need to tell him what to do. He quickly threw his bags into the backseat and then hopped into the front seat beside Sharpay as she started the engine.

"Not if I fucking beat you there!" Jesse yelled as he started sprinting towards his car; digging his keys out of his pockets.

Sharpay pulled out and onto the road just as Jesse got into the driver's seat. She hit the gas pedal and they were off. Troy found himself laughing. Sharpay gave him a sidelong glance and then found herself laughing too. As their eyes met, their laughter slowed and then the silence became awkward. Sharpay quickly looked away and up into the rear-view mirror. Just as she turned the corner of their road; she saw Jesse finally pull out to the road.

"I think we might beat him." She smiled a little; keeping her eyes on the road.

"What's his deal anyway?" Troy asked, taking a quick look behind them.

"He's... complicated." She still smiled. "He's a good friend though."

"That's good." Troy nodded a little.

Then the talk thinned down again as Sharpay found herself stuck in traffic. Hopefully the same traffic will push Jesse further back.

"Listen, I, uh..." Troy started to speak up but then stopped, uncertain of himself. "I'm sorry for today. I didn't mean to spring up on you, especially seeing as you already had plans..."

"It's cool." Sharpay replied, not daring to look at him. She was too nervous. "Ryan has some serious explaining to do. I haven't even heard from him in days."

Troy raised an eyebrow now. He had felt anger before at Ryan's incompetence and blatant lies but now it seemed like Sharpay was even more ignorant about the drastic change of events that had occurred than he had previously thought. This made him nervous. How did he say this to her face to face? Of course, the idea that the baby might not be his was one of optimism but what if it turned out the baby was his? Then he would have put Sharpay through that whole rollercoaster of emotions for nothing. She seemed alright sitting here, knowing that he had a biological son back home in Albuquerque. She didn't seem... Well, he couldn't really judge. He sighed. He would tell her over lunch. At the Ivy. The Ivy. He found himself smiling.

"So lunch at The Ivy, huh?" He smirked. "That's... impressive."

Sharpay found herself giggling. "It's really not."

"Isn't that where all the big Hollywood stars go to eat?" He pondered. "Must be hard to get a reservation. You must be doing something right out here."

_Oh, God. _Sharpay thought. _If only he knew the half of it._

Yet, she had no intention of telling him. He could be free to wonder away with his imagination about how great life was for her here and how easily things came for her out here. It was selfish but a part of her wanted to make him feel jealous; it wanted to make him feel like he had missed out. So she just shrugged nonchalantly and kept her eyes on the road as they turned another corner. They had been traffic free for the last few blocks. It looked like plain-sailing to lunch.

"Well, I'm glad... you know, that you're doing OK." He stated sincerely. "You really deserve it, Shar."

She felt herself melt at his words. A sadness struck her chest. As she pulled into the parking lot; she could see a glimmer of sadness in his eyes and something else... he looked really, really tired. Not just tired in the sense of jetlag but just... emotionally drained. For the first time, she allowed herself to consider how hard the last two months must have been on him. It was a thought she'd blocked out of her mind as she had refused to let herself feel any sympathy for him but now as she watched him undo his seatbelt and pull open the passenger side door to step out... she felt her chest tighten. She just wanted to hold him and never let him go. She wanted to make everything better.

She felt her throat tighten and tears sting her eyes. She swallowed hard as she unclipped her seatbelt and stepped out; grimacing. She wasn't going to start blubbering. No, she couldn't do that.

"Looks like we beat your new best friend." Troy chuckled, looking around the parking lot as they walked towards the restaurant. It was beautiful and grand. It screamed 'Hollywood', that was for sure. Sharpay smiled a little.

When they got inside the restaurant; Sharpay gave Jesse's name as the reservation name and Jesse's cell phone number as confirmation. The two were then escorted to a neat table for two at the back. It was nice, cool and intimate. As they sat facing each other, Troy took a look through the menu and raised an eyebrow.

"So I think just ordering the water alone will leave me penniless and broke." He joked.

Sharpay was about to tell him not to worry about it and that she would pay but she knew Troy well. He was too much of a gentleman. He'd probably financially cripple himself trying to pay the bill.

"Don't worry about it." She shrugged. "Jesse has a tab here, we eat here a lot; it'll be charged to him."

It was so easy for her to lie to him now that they had been apart for a few months. She didn't meet his eyes though, knowing her own eyes would undoubtedly give her away.

"So... there's um, some stuff we should clear up that Ryan probably didn't tell you." Troy stated, clearing his throat a little. There was a serious look in his eyes as he put his menu to one side. Sharpay's heart skipped a beat and she suddenly felt scared. _What now?! _Her mind demanded. She wasn't sure she could take anymore bad news. All of sudden, she was convinced he had come out there to tell her something horrible. Why else would he have flown all the way out here? He had made it clear he wanted to support Gabriella and his baby because it wasn't right to knock a girl up and then run away... so it must be something serious to make him leave Gabriella so soon after their son had been born. She felt like she was going to start hyperventilating. Troy noticed and his hand reached across the table and rested above her own.

"Hey." He said comfortingly. "Calm down. You look terrified."

"I am terrified." She sniffed, looking down at the table and shaking her head. "So... what is it?"

"Gabriella's speaking again." He stated. "I mean, a little here and there but um, she's getting there and I think with her therapy; it's really going to help..."

"Oh." Sharpay's heart rate calmed down. That was his big news? Well, maybe it was big for him because Gabriella was so freaking special to him that any progress she made had to be ranted and raved about, she thought bitterly.

"Gabriella kind of um, bought some new stuff to light about her son." Troy looked into Sharpay's eyes. "She slept with Nathan Strong and he might be the father."

Sharpay's mind whirled at the news. Her brain tried to make sense of it but everything seemed to be spinning so fast... and for the second time that day, she was completely and utterly overwhelmed.

"So, we've done a paternity test and the results should be here in another three or so weeks... but I just had to see you in the mean time." He continued, not noticing her mental frenzy. "I-I hope you don't mind, I know you probably didn't want me coming here, messing up the great life you've got... so I guess I've been kind of selfish on my part but... Sharpay? Shar?"

Sharpay looked up at him at the sound of her voice.

"The baby might not be yours?" She repeated. Troy nodded slowly. Sharpay began to cry and shook her head. Concern flitted across Troy's face.

"Why-why would Ryan not tell me _this_?" She demanded, the tears running down her cheeks hot and fast now. "_Why?_"

Troy patted her hand gently, gritting his teeth in anger at Ryan as he did so.

"You know now, that's the important thing." He stated.

Now that the initial shock was over; an angry look flitted across Sharpay's face. She snatched her hand away from Troy and dug around in her purse for her cell phone. She was so angry right now... ugh, words could not even describe. She scrolled down her contacts' list until RYAN came up and then hit call. Troy passed Sharpay a tissue and she dabbed at her eyes as she held the phone to her ear; she could hear it ringing on the other end.

* * *

_New York_

"Well, this is nice." Abigail smiled; her brown eyes twinkling.

Ryan was sitting at a table by the window at a Starbuck's with Abigail Berkeley sitting in front of him. The two of them were nursing cups of coffee in their hands and staring out at the street; watching people hurriedly pass by.

"Starbucks?" Ryan questioned and looked around the busy coffee bar. "It's alright."

"No!" Abigail laughed that tinkling laugh and amusement lit up her eyes. "This. Just sitting here and watching other morons in expensive suits run around for once."

Ryan smiled in agreement.

He had left work early today; about twenty minutes after Abigail had hurriedly departed from her office. Cara had, typically, forgotten to pick up his coffee order because she'd gotten a call from her child's playschool telling him no one had come to pick him up and it had sent her into a frenzy; she had called up everyone she knew and begged for them to go pick him up. She had given Ryan a whole lecture on how tough it was to be a single mom because he had dared to question where his coffee was. So he had ducked out of the office early, it was a slow day; he spent most of it on the Internet checking the comments on his new blog from the weekend; so he wouldn't be missed. He had stopped at the Starbucks right opposite his building. A lot of people from his office were there at the end of the day as well as people from neighbouring skyscrapers so he wasn't surprised to bump into Abigail. And now here they were, sitting sipping decaf and swapping life stories.

"So how long do you think you'll be here?" Abigail queried, taking a sip.

"It's an internship, my father owns the company so..." Ryan shrugged. "I haven't really thought about it."

Abigail laughed. "Wow. I think you are very rare, Mr. Evans. I don't meet a lot of men in power suits who don't have the next five years planned out."

"Spontaneity keeps me alive." Ryan answered honestly.

"Hmm." She nodded in agreement. "I never thought I'd wind up doing the nine to five, you know? Yet, here I am. Twenty-eight and stuck."

Ryan almost choked on his coffee. It burnt his throat. _Twenty-eight?! _She looked twenty at the most. She had a very young appearance... but then he looked into her questioning eyes and saw there was wisdom there, the kind of wisdom gained only through time.

"Y-you're twenty-eight?" He queried.

"Yeah." She said, straight-facedly. "You?"

"Um..." He blinked. "Twenty-four."

She blinked back at him for a moment and then burst into laughter again. That beautiful, infectious laughter.

"I'm kidding!" She shook her head. "I'm twenty-eight."

He sighed the biggest breath of relief. "Oh, good. I'm not twenty-four." He laughed back. He knew it, she looked way too young.

"I'm actually thirty-five but I normally say I'm twenty-eight and I can get away with it." She giggled.

Ryan raised an eyebrow. Was she joking again? No, she seemed dead-on serious. She was _thirty-five_? What was he thinking?

"So come on." She nudged him playfully. "Fess up. What're your real digits, Ryan?"

"Twenty-eight." He lied, laughing. "But I get away with twenty-four."

"Well, I'm not surprised!" She chuckled and reached for his face. "You have a real boyish charm about you."

As she held his face in her hands and jokingly pinched his cheeks; he looked at her and found his breath was taken away by how beautiful she really was.

A ringing interrupted their moment.

"Ooh, that's you." She smiled, letting go of his face and putting her hands back on her coffee.

It took Ryan a moment to regroup and then pull his phone out of his breast pocket. He flipped it open, not looking at the caller ID; he was still distracted by her.

"Hello?" He asked.

"Ryan? HOW COULD YOU?!" Sharpay's voice came through. Abigail raised an eyebrow at the female voice. Ryan chuckled nervously.

"It's my sister." He stated, covering the mouthpiece with his hand.

"Ah." Abigail nodded; she didn't seem to believe him.

"No, really." Ryan laughed and showed her the caller ID. "Sharpay Evans. She's at UCLA."

"Impressive." Abigail raised an eyebrow and then stood up, taking her cup. "I'll give you some privacy."

She walked over to another empty table, Ryan smiled thankfully.

"Sharpay, what's going on?" He demanded, frowning now.

"Why the _hell _did you not pass on any of Troy's messages?!" She yelled.

"What?!" Ryan was pissed now. "Is he there right now? Of course I passed them on. I sent you texts."

"I don't have a single text from you for the past few days, Ryan." Sharpay argued. "How could you do this? _WHY_ would you do this?!"

"I wouldn't!" Ryan snapped. "I sent you messages. I have them in my outbox. I'll take a damned picture of them including the time and date if you're that willing to believe I'm a liar!"

There was silence on the other end. Ryan felt furious now. He hadn't wanted to be the messenger because it put him in an uncomfortable spot but he had done it anyway for Sharpay. It pissed him off how she could be so childish and accuse him of something so pathetic. She needed to grow the hell up. He was sick of drama.

"Well then.. what happened to the messages?" She asked, seeming more calm now. "I-I mean I'm one hundred percent certain I didn't get anything."

"How am I suppose to know?!" Now it was Ryan's turn to yell. "You might've deleted them accidentally or I don't know, your new stupid friends might've been messing with your phone, I don't know, I don't care. Goodbye Sharpay."

With that, he clicked the phone off and slammed it down on the table.

* * *

_Los Angeles_

Sharpay opened her mouth to say something when Ryan snapped at her. A moment later, the phone clicked off. She felt like she'd been slapped in the face. Silent tears continued to roll down her cheeks. Ryan was being so mean. It hurt. Yet, something else was pushing its way through her emotions. _Suspicion._

Troy was watching her carefully.

"What is it?" He asked. "What did Ryan say?"

"He sent me those messages." Sharpay stated. "I just didn't get them."

"Why?" Troy frowned. "I mean, how could that happen."

"I leave my phone lying around a lot." Sharpay said slowly, feeling the hairs rise on the back of her neck. She didn't like the conclusion she was coming to. It terrified her. It reminded her of the horrors Kelsi Nielson had put them all through last year... but it was the only conclusion that made sense.

"So..." Troy wasn't following.

"Jesse's not a big fan of you, huh?" Sharpay stated with a raised eyebrow. Her face was tear-stained. Troy's face stiffened as her words sank in.

"You think he's been messing around with you..." His fists clenched. "He's been... playing games...."

Sharpay gritted her teeth and she sniffed.

"He must have deleted them." She sighed. "Oh, God. The only friend I make out here and he's a Kelsi Nielson replica!"

Troy's hands banged on the table with a deafening crack that made a few people look over. His face was full of rage.

"I'll fucking kill him."

He stood up but Sharpay grabbed his arms and pulled him back down.

"Stop, stop!" She sat him down and shook her head. "I-I just don't get it... he does so much for me... he's so... _nice._"

"He's been messing with you head." Troy shook his head. "After everything we've been through... don't make excuses for him. He's sick."

"I-I know." Sharpay nodded in agreement. She was getting shivers up and down her spine. She was just scared. Jesse didn't seem dangerous but she couldn't help but suspect the worst of him... especially after everything she'd been through. Those kinds of emotional scars didn't heal easily. Troy moved over to her and hugged her. There was no awkwardness. Sharpay was too consumed with her thoughts to feel weird about the hug. It just felt natural and right.

* * *

**AN****: Hey, everyone. I just wanted to put in this pesky little note to say a big thank you for your reviews. I know I abandoned you guys for such a long time and I didn't really expect anyone to bother with this story anymore so the fact that quite a few of you did quite so soon and with so much enthusiasm really lifted my spirits. I was on such a high, I managed to write a whole other chapter in half an hour! You are all amazing, thank you and I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Oh and... Reviews equal love, people. Yes, they do. When you review (which you will); I'd like your help. A new male character is popping up in Albuquerque and I need a name for him. Suggestions? Thank you. **


	8. Running

_**Chapter 7: Running**_

Jesse Strange laid back on the pool chair with blue-rimmed Ray Bans shading his eyes. Sitting on the table beside him was a cocktail. He reached for it and pressed his lips around the straw; sipping up the cool drink with a sigh.

"Well, it's official now."

He raised an eyebrow under his sunglasses at the red-head's words. Aliyah was seated opposite him on her own pool chair; sipping her own cocktail. In the background, the pool filter droned on as a pool boy in swimming trunks used a fish-net to scour the water's surface.

It was such a relaxing, lazy Monday evening. A cool breeze was beginning to blow.

"What?" Jesse asked, not really caring about what she had to say.

"You're now a certified joke." She chuckled and sat up on her seat; crossing her bare legs and pulling a jacket up over her shoulders.

Jesse's expression didn't change. He just took another calm sip and gave a satisfied sigh. Aliyah was still giggling at the humour of his situation.

"It's pretty sad, though." She continued, mock-pouting. "The fact that you were messing with her phone... that shows commitment. Idiocy too. But the commitment was there."

Jesse put his drink back on the table and stretched a little bit; trying hard not to hear her. Sometimes he really hated the effect Aliyah had over him. The logical part of his brain would never have told her about his ambition to be an agent and to mould Sharpay Evans into a success – _his_ success. However, where Aliyah was concerned; the logical part of him didn't get a say. Whenever he was with her; he found himself telling her everything; all his plans, all his thoughts and feelings... he couldn't help it; she was a good listener. She mocked and ridiculed everything he said and did. It didn't matter though. It didn't matter because he knew he had a similar hold over her and her ridiculing was her way of dealing with it because she didn't really like the effect he had over her either. Technically... what they had... what they did... it was sick.

"It's cute you were committed." She shrugged. "So how long do you think it'll be until she figures it out and comes over to tear you a new one?"

The minute the words left her mouth; both their ears pricked up at the sound of a squeal of harsh braking and then a slam of car doors closing.

"Oh, show time." Aliyah smirked.

Jesse's teeth clenched. He stood up in a hurry and grabbed Aliyah by the elbow.

"Ouchie!" Aliyah frowned as Jesse yanked her up out of her seat; taking her drink away with the other hand. She was clearly more than a little drunk. He couldn't let Sharpay see her in this state for fear of what she might say... what she might give away...

"What are you doing?!" She whined.

"Get the fuck in the house." Jesse grimaced. "Up the stairs. And shut up. Go!"

Aliyah frowned at him. "But then I'll miss it."

Jesse rolled his eyes and cast a look at the pool boy.

"Hey, do me a favour; get her in the house and keep her there." Jesse stated.

The pool boy nodded and led Aliyah away into the house. She cursed at Jesse as she walked in; annoyed at being handled with kid-gloves.

Jesse pulled off his Ray Bans as he heard the click-clacking of Sharpay's shoes. Here it comes...

She was dressed in the same clothes as she had been when Jesse had raced them to lunch only for them to beat him there. He had then decided to come home and wait it out... and now the waiting was over. It looked like she had come straight from The Ivy.

"So, um, you didn't enjoy the VIP treatment at The Ivy?" Jesse chuckled moronically.

Sharpay's eyes had a murderous look in them and at the same time; a vulnerable look. Jesse didn't quite understand how that one worked but there was definitely some insecurity there. Maybe she and Troy had had a bust-up over lunch too... the thought made him a little optimistic. He knew Sharpay was angry now about having her privacy invaded but she would get over it; it wasn't like he'd murdered someone, jeez. It was a little thing that one day very soon she would forgive him for and then they could go back to the way things were before.

Sharpay, on the other end, was thinking the complete opposite. Jesse had been right to see insecurity glittering in her eyes. He didn't understand the effect his Kelsi-like behaviour had on her or the memories it bought back. Troy was standing behind her, looking over her shoulder and looking extremely pissed off. His hands were balled into tight fists.

"I need to know; have you been deleting my personal messages on my phone?" She asked; her voice shook a little. The seriousness on her face and in her tone of voice, plus the over-protective vibes he was getting from her boyfriend put Jesse on edge a little bit. God, Albuquerque kids needed to lighten up a bit. If she couldn't handle a little bitchy cut-throat behaviour then how was she going to survive in LA where people did a hell of a lot worse? Well, he know what he had to do. He wasn't a liar. This wasn't even a big deal to him.

"Yeah." He shrugged nonchalantly, frowning. "I deleted a coupla messages from your brother in New York."

"You fuck!" Troy lunged forward and Jesse glared at him in confusion. _Overreaction, much?_ Sharpay put a hand to Troy's chest and he stopped dead. She shook her head, indicating 'no' to Troy and then looked back at Sharpay. He could see tears glistening in her eyes.

"How could you?" She demanded. The hairs on the back of Jesse's neck stood up. Oh, God, he was not feeling this guilt trip.

"I'm sorry, alright, but if I could go back in time; I'd probably do the same thing." He admitted honestly. He saw his honesty was just making Troy angrier. He didn't care. The dude looked too pussy-whipped to get violent on him anyway.

"Why?" Sharpay sniffed. "Why...?"

"Look, fairy, don't cry." Jesse shook his head. "C'mon. We're best friends, right?"

"What kinda best friend does this?" Troy spat. "You're playing mind-games with her. Do you know how sick you are?!"

Jesse did know how sick he was. He knew how sick he could be but in this context; he was definitely not sick. He felt defensive now.

"Hey, I wasn't playing mind-games! Hell no!" He looked at Sharpay now. "Sharpay, I wasn't trying to mess with your mind, I swear."

"Then what were you doing?" Sharpay queried.

"We had plans, didn't we?" He asked her. "We're gonna make it big, we've got a focus out here, right? Well, we were at lunch one day and you went to the bathroom; I saw a message alert on your phone; I saw it was about him and... and I thought it was a distraction. I was thinking the best for you."

Sharpay swallowed hard at this; making sense of it. Troy grimaced.

"You can dress it up however you want but you're still a liar and a manipulative one at that." Troy accused. "You're no friend."

"Hey, you're no fucking saint either!" Jesse shouted. "I don't give a shit what you think of me, you're fresh out of Hicksville. What I did was for Sharpay and for her best interests which is more than you're doing for her right now; showing up and messing everything up for her. She's got a life here, why'd you have to come out here and bring her down, huh?"

"Shut up!" Sharpay yelled at Jesse. "Just shut up! It's not true! Stop-stop speaking for me! Stop having my interests for me – I can look after myself!"

Jesse blinked in surprise at Sharpay's rant; hot tears spilled out of her eyes.

Troy barely heard Sharpay's words. What Jesse had said had hit a nerve; it stung him hard in his chest. Jesse was brutal but he was honest. This had been one of Troy's fears. Now that fear had been confirmed. Him turning up like this... it was probably doing more harm than good for Sharpay emotionally; especially if it turned out that the baby was his. God, he was going to put her through it all again; wasn't he? He was suddenly disgusted with himself.

"What you did..." Sharpay blinked back tears at Jesse. "Troy's right, it was manipulative and I-I don't like manipulative people. I-I can't do that again."

"I get it, I'm sorry." Jesse nodded sincerely.

"I-I can't and I fucking won't." Sharpay gritted her teeth; trying to control her tears. "So I don't want you around. Just... fuck off. Stay away from me. You do more harm than good – even when you're trying to be good. You're just warped. Stay away."

Jesse opened his mouth to speak but Sharpay shook her head at him and then lead Troy away. Jesse watched her go and felt like... well, he felt like crying. He could feel the tears stinging his eyes.

So that was the end of that.

"Jesse........!"

He looked over his shoulder to see Aliyah standing by the door. She was giggling.

"Aww, she made you cry." She chuckled. "I can't believe I missed that!"

Jesse sniffed and shook his head. "No one's crying, you're so drunk."

He smirked and walked over to her. She laughed.

* * *

_Albuquerque_

Talking was a strange thing.

Sure, it didn't seem so complicated. It came naturally; our lips move and tongues wag almost unconsciously.

Gabriella had that physical part of it covered. Sometimes she sat alone in her room, with the baby gurgling in its cot in the background; and moved her mouth soundlessly.

It was the words and sound part that failed Gabriella.

She moved her lips but nothing came out. Inside, her mind just froze up. Her heart rate increased. She felt trapped and she couldn't speak.

She had been speaking a little; sure. It had been a grand improvement from no talking at all but as Dr. Hargreaves was telling her now; she still had a long way to go to full speech recovery.

"You know, Gabriella, conditions like yours aren't very uncommon at all." He spoke informingly. He was a middle-aged man with an orange beard and flaming red hair. He wore round spectacles and a white shirt, grey tie and denim trousers. He sat on a comfy chair opposite her.

He had a warm presence about him. Gabriella felt relaxed in his small office. He didn't badger her or rush her. She had spent entire sessions in silence here and never once felt awkward or uncomfortable because he was such a relaxed man with a calming manner about him. Opening up to him came naturally. He was definitely in the right profession.

"Th-they aren't?" Gabriella raised an eyebrow.

"No." He smiled kindly. "It's not a physical ailment that you have here. This is your emotions going out of whack. That's understandable given the severity of your situation."

Gabriella swallowed and took this in. He looked at her and nodded a little.

"With the amount of stress you were dealing with, Gabriella; I would say something had to give eventually." He stated. "I admit it's not the healthiest expression of stress but that is what should be taken as. The good news here is that there is a time to be healthy again. Time will bring that about, I assure you."

Gabriella believed him. His office was lined with diplomas and books. How could she not believe him? She had to. She had to have faith that life wouldn't always feel like this... so draining.

He didn't expect her to respond. That was another good thing about Dr. Hargreaves. He never expected anything so Gabriella never felt like she was letting him down. He now glanced at his clock and Gabriella knew their time was up. She slowly got to her feet and he led her to the door; telling her he would see her next week.

As Gabriella stepped out into the waiting area, she pulled out her cell phone and gave her a mom a text so she could come pick her up. She went and sat on one of the green plastic waiting seats and tucked her phone away in her purse again.

She sat down in an empty seat beside a boy who must have been in his early twenties. He had wavy jet black hair and wore a bright red, tight-fitting tee shirt and denim jeans. He had dark circles under his eyes from lack of sleep but there was a lively energy in his dark pupils. He looked very much awake and buzzed. Gabriella sniffed a little as he looked at her. She considered that he was probably a druggie. Or an ex-con. All kinds of shady characters came and went by this therapist's office. There were a lot of sick people in Albuquerque; Gabriella was realising.

As Gabriella was deliberating this, she kept her eyes down and her hands in her lap. She didn't notice the boy inch closer to her side and a small smile spread across his lips.

"So, what you in for?" He whispered conspiratorially to Gabriella; making her jump an inch out of her chair and gasp. Her eyes widened and she looked at him with horror. He chuckled a little and leaned away from her again.

"Thought so." He smirked. "You're a druggie, huh. You're jumpy and paranoid. Those are symptoms. We learnt that in health class."

Gabriella looked at him with a shocked expression on her face. He looked at her again and chuckled again. Gabriella was still having trouble seeing the amusing side to it all.

"Not a talker, huh?" He continued just when Gabriella thought it was safe to turn her attention away.

_You don't know the half of it_. She thought bitterly to herself. Not that she wanted to talk to him. He was just so weird. She didn't need to make friends with people from the therapist's office of all places anyway. God, no she did not need that. She needed to get better herself and leave this world behind.

"It's cool." He shrugged nonchalantly. "I'll do the talking for both of us."

This time, Gabriella did smile. It was an odd twist of her mouth, a shape and curve that she wasn't used to anymore but somehow managed now to do. He looked at the awkward attempt of a smile on her face and decided against remarking on it. A lot of people in here weren't in the mood for jokes and he realised he came across as a little too enthusiastic. He smiled back.

"I'm Michael." He grinned. "And just so you know; I'm not a patient here. I'm an intern. I'm just on my break."

Gabriella looked at him with a mixture of relief and confusion.

"Y-you like sitting in here on your break?" She cast him a look of disbelief. It was such a depressing place.

"Sure." He smiled. "I find it... peaceful." He leaned back on his seat and smiled wider. Gabriella just stared at him; mesmerised by his attitude. Then again, he had a reason to be so cocky and confident. There was nothing wrong with him. He could just sit back and watch the crazies and loonies being ushered in and out and know he was a million worlds away from feeling the depression they did. He was a carefree onlooker. She envied that.

She almost jumped when her phone vibrated in her lap. She had almost forgotten about her mom. She dug out her phone to see a text confirming her mom was waiting outside. She quickly got up and headed out.

"Same time next week!" She heard Michael call after her. She didn't look back but she did smile a little as she walked out into the sun.

As Michael watched her go; he was also smiling contently.

A moment later, he felt a hand on his shoulder; startling him out of his gazing stupor.

He turned to see Dr. Hargreaves standing behind him. He smiled kindly.

"Hello Michael."

"Hey, doc." He smiled back uneasily.

* * *

_New York_

Ryan grabbed his bag and pulled on his jacket. It was getting late outside. It was peak time. Meaning this was the time everyone seemed to be clocking off from work and heading for the elevators, taxis and subway. Ryan was still in his office. He always tried to beat the peak time rush but somehow always ended up in the middle of it and today seemed no different.

His mind was elsewhere too. He was thinking about how nice coffee at Starbucks had been. How warm her eyes had been. Her laughter was just the best, wasn't it?

"Hey, slowpoke." Cara nudged him playfully as they walked out of their office together and headed for the elevators. "Someone's not running like a madman for their train today."

"Well, why fight what's inevitable?" Ryan sighed; not really in the mood for her playful banter.

"Hmm, and what's that, kid?" She queried, buttoning up her winter coat as they stepped into an elevator that was packed with around twenty people. Ryan grimaced.

"Why run like a crazy person trying to get the early train before every other fucker in a suit gets there and takes up all the seats or why bother running to get everything done so I can finish ten minutes early and get an elevator where it's not packed like a tin of sardines and stinks of farts? Inevitably, I'm going to get crushed by the crowd. Why fight the crush?"

The elevator doors closed just as he finished his sentence. Cara's cheeks turned a shade of scarlet from second-hand embarrassment. She shot Ryan an angry look. Behind them, the people standing in the elevator already were shifting around uncomfortably at his words. One pot-bellied man with grey, thinning hair sniffed at the air.

Ryan saw Cara's malicious look and rolled his eyes.

"I'm not even sorry." He hissed at her. It didn't matter; the elevator was deadly quiet and everyone heard his words. A few seconds of uncomfortable silence passed; Cara bit her bottom lip in annoyance and looked away; then the elevator pinged and the doors mercifully flew open. Ryan was the first to dash out and run. He ran like crazy. He must've looked crazy.

He suddenly felt the urge to run. Mainly, he wanted to avoid a lecture on good-manners from Cara but mostly; he realised despite the inevitability of never catching the right train or bus; he still felt compelled to try. At least he was beating out all the suckers from his office who were probably still standing at the elevator with their jaws on the floor in shock at the crazy kid in a designer suit running like a mad man through the lobby and out of the double doors.

The minute he flew out; he felt the cold wind whip across his face and it re-energised him; his lungs re-filled with fresh air and he kept running. He didn't know how or even the exact point in time when it happened but at some point between his building and the top of the road; he went crashing into someone. It was a real crash. His torso and elbow connected with something soft – a stomach? – and his legs tripped over the other pair of legs – female legs – and those legs tripped over his. He hit the pavement hard. It was cold. He swore under his breath as a sharp pain shot up his right arm with connected with the sidewalk. His vision was cloudy for a moment. He heard people's footsteps. People were actually walking past him. He just had flown across the street with another person and people were just walking by. Only in New fucking York, right?

He groaned as he sat up. The other person was a woman. Her dark hair covered her face as she pulled herself up from the ground. As she pulled her now messy hair back and winced slightly in pain; Ryan recognised who it was. Abigail. Shit.

"Abigail!" He breathed in surprise. She looked at him and looked equally surprised. They were both sitting on their asses on the cold pavement and just staring at each other with incredulity. A man and woman walking by shot them glares for taking up space on the sidewalk. Ryan ignored them.

"I'm so sorry." Ryan shook his head and got to his feet. Abigail, surprisingly, laughed that amazing laugh and let Ryan help her up. He swept up her handbag and held it for her.

"Are you OK?" He sighed. "I'm so sorry. I wasn't looking, this is my fault – are you hurt?"

She continued to laugh and shook her head now. Ryan was relieved she was taking it so light-heartedly. It meant she probably wasn't hurt either.

"I'm fine..." She smiled. "To think, only a few hours ago we were bitching about breaking away from the rat race and then you come racing into me... You are a liar, aren't you Mr. Evans?"

Ryan's heart speeded up as she looked into his eyes now.

"I..."

"You love being a part of all this, don't you?" She giggled. "You're here for the race. You live for it. I've seen you're type. Power-driven men."

"Oh, that's definitely not me." Ryan corrected, smiling now.

"Oh, then you don't know yourself." She smirked.

Ryan found himself just staring and smiling at her. She was thirty-something. She thought he was twenty-eight. This was so wrong. He didn't care. He was cut off from his emotions. It was easy to disconnect yourself from your heart when your line of work was so impersonal, so heartless.

"So, you're walking me to the subway." She said, entwining her arm through his as they fell into step. He still felt a little sore but that was the last thing on his mind.

"Sure, I was heading that way anyway." He shrugged.

"Oh, that wasn't a question." She smiled. Ryan chuckled.

"I am sorry." He said again after a moment.

"It's my fault too." She smiled. "I saw you running at me, you were kind of a blur. I thought you were going to mug me. I just froze in shock."

"You thought I was going to mug you?!" Ryan laughed.

"I didn't know it was you!" She laughed.

"If that's what you're natural instincts tell you to do in a situation like that then there is something wrong with your instincts." Ryan smirked. "You should've run! I hope you'll run next time."

"Well... my instincts are telling me you should take me to dinner to make up for this." She shrugged. Ryan's heart raced again. "But we're not listening to those pesky things anymore."

"Oh, well..." Ryan hurried. She laughed. Ryan cracked up too.

"Caro Joe's, Saturday night; 7PM." He smiled. "If you feel like listening to those instincts again next time you have a moment of stupidity."

She stared at him; a starry-eyed look in her own eyes. She smiled and her eyes lit up.

"I'm feeling pretty stupid right now." She breathed.

"Lucky me." He replied.

As they strolled arm-in-arm through the busy streets of New York; the crazy man in a plush designer suit running to his next stop felt literally like another man. Ryan felt different, changed... alive... when he was with her. It was nice that there was someone in a city of millions that was like him. Comforting.

* * *

_Los Angeles_

Troy looked around Sharpay's flat. He was seated on the couch in front of the TV. Sharpay was somewhere behind him; rouging around in the kitchen for food.

It was an odd sensation to be sitting there for several reasons. Firstly, there was an air of awkwardness between them due to what had happened at Jesse's house. She had been crying. It had been weird to see her cry and not be able to comfort her in the boyfriend-way he normally would have. So he had just sat in the car seat; hands in his lap and let her sniffle alone. Then there was the fact that now the initial shock of seeing each other again had worn off; the old animosities were surfacing again. There had been a reason why Troy had been away from her for so long and that reason wasn't entirely resolved. The two of them were in limbo about their relationship. They couldn't move forward until they knew what the situation was that they were dealing with and that situation wouldn't be known until the baby's paternity was resolved. Both of them were also too scared to look back into the past because it was just too painful and old, happy memories were now tainted with the pain of the present. So, here they were; sitting in her Los Angeles apartment; miles from what was once home and stuck. Stuck in limbo. Unsure of themselves and unsure of the future.

"I think we'll have to order in." Sharpay spoke after a moment; pulling him out of his thoughts. She came and stood by the couch; holding her cell phone. "I know a decent pizza place."

"Pizza sounds good." He nodded.

Sharpay punched in the number and walked away to her bedroom. He could hear her talking down the phone. She was ordering his favourite toppings. That made him smile a little. The fact that not everything between them had changed; that she still knew him.

A moment later, she came back into the room and flopped down on the couch beside him. "Pizza's going to be another forty minutes."

"That's fine." He replied.

They were quiet again. She trained her eyes on the TV. Her expression was blank but he knew from the sadness in her eyes that she was trying not to bow the pressure of him being here, of her new friend betraying her. He just didn't know what to say. He racked his brain for something to say. Anything. Once upon a time, conversation between them had flowed as easily as water in a river but now...

"You've got classes tomorrow?" He asked sheepishly. She seemed surprised to hear his voice.

"Yeah, um, I've got an early start." She sighed. "And a late finish."

"Oh."

"Yeah."

"Um.." He looked down at the couch. "I've got a hotel I can go to for tonight so..."

"OK." She replied; nodding in understanding. She was grateful he had made sleeping arrangements because it would have been awkward as hell if he was spending the night. That was one weight off her shoulders.

They sat in silence again. Troy chuckled a little at Tina Fey on 30 Rock. Sharpay looked at him but quickly looked away.

A second later; her doorbell dinged. She almost leapt up and ran to the door; grateful for the distraction.

"That can't be the pizza, can it?" He frowned.

"I doubt it, it's only been ten minutes." She shrugged. She pulled open the door and saw Jesse standing there; a big bouquet of red roses in his hand and a grin on his face. She immediately slammed the door shut on his face in shock. Troy raised an eyebrow.

"Was that... Jesse?" He queried.

Sharpay swallowed hard.

"Was he... was he carrying roses?" Troy asked again.

The doorbell rang again. Sharpay sighed.

"Yeah, it was him." She replied. "He's... weird like that."

"Weird is one way to put it." Troy grimaced. The more he found out about this guy; the more he found himself hating him. Who did he think he was, turning up with roses? Sharpay had made it clear they were best friends and nothing more. He was a nutjob. A Kelsi-clone. He'd proved that too. Sharpay wouldn't bother with him.

He was surprised to see Sharpay resignedly open the door again. Jesse was standing there, still smiling and wearing a smart suit.

"I fucked up bad." He stated. "Really bad. Can you forgive me?"

Sharpay frowned at him. Troy got up and headed over to the door too. Sharpay could feel his questioning gaze on the back of her head.

"You don't even know what you did." She sighed.

"I do!" He asserted. "I hurt your feelings and I'm sorry, fairy. Please accept my apology." He thrust the roses at her chest; beckoning her to take them. She stared down at them. She could see Troy glaring. Jesse was deliberately ignoring him and it was pissing Troy off even more; and Jesse knew it. He was a sly bastard. Sharpay sighed and took the roses.

"You didn't just hurt my feelings." She stated. "You messed with my head. I don't like being manipulated. I've had really... really bad experiences with that in the past."

Jesse looked at her with genuine sincerity. It was starting to fit in for him now. She had overreacted so much because she'd had someone bad do that to her before.

"Yeah, the last nut-job manipulating our friends back home stabbed Sharpay and shot another one of our friends." Troy spat. "So excuse us if we tell you to stick your roses."

He yanked the roses out of Sharpay's hands and shoved them at Jesse; crushing them against his chest. Jesse was shocked by what he heard as more pieces fell together and realised the severity of the situation. No wonder Sharpay was taking it all so seriously.

"Man, I had no idea." He looked at Sharpay; letting the bouquet fall to the floor. "You know I'm not like that."

Sharpay was looking at Troy with an irritated expression on her face. She couldn't believe he had just told Jesse everything. She had wanted to get away from that crap. Why?!

Troy didn't seem to realise. He had his eyes trained on Jesse; firing hatred at him. Stupid men and their stupid egos.

"It's fine." Sharpay stated through gritted teeth. "I know you're too stupid to be that malicious."

"Gee, thanks." His big grin returned. That goofy old grin. "I'm glad to hear that. So we're cool?"

"Maybe." Sharpay shrugged.

"Are you for real?" Troy turned on her. "He can't be trusted!"

Now anger flitted across Sharpay's face.

"I say he can."

"Yeah, but-but..." Troy shook his head. "He's-"

"He's what, Troy?" Sharpay folded her arms across her chest. "You do not just get to waltz back into my life and judge my friends. I can judge for myself just fine."

Troy shut up. He realised he had been letting his emotions get the better of him and he had probably come across as a jerk. He sighed. She was right. He had no right to barge in and disrupt her life. It was too late though; the damage was done.

Troy looked down in shame but could've sworn he saw a smug glint in Jesse's eyes. He still hated that guy.

"Alright." Jesse smiled. "Well, I actually came here because we still have that play we need to see for Drama class. Tonight. Now."

Sharpay suddenly remember _The Duchess of Malfi_ and how she and Jesse were supposed to go. It felt like they had made those plans a million years ago now. So much had happened since that eventful class that morning. It had been a very, very long day.

"Uh, I don't know about that." Sharpay shook her head. She was tired as hell. She didn't think it was worth it.

"C'mon!" Jesse urged. "What happened to giving your classes 110%? This is your chance to get ahead of everyone in our class and impress Szasz. Trust me, nobody has tickets for this show from our class."

Sharpay looked at his eager face. It did sound tempting... He was right about one thing though. She had made a resolution to make the best of the education she was getting here; she was privileged to be at UCLA and it was time to make the most of that privilege. Why should she put all that on hold just for Troy? What happened to Troy and her past not holding her back? She suddenly felt a surge of urgency in her to go out there and succeed – to run away from everything in the past.

"You're right." She nodded.

Troy looked at her in alarm. This Jesse guy was a real piece of work. He had Sharpay bending in all directions for him. He was too scared to say anything to Sharpay though; he had already over-stepped his bounds today.

"What about the pizza?" Troy frowned; hoping she would change her mind.

"You have it." She stated dismissively; already putting her coat on. "You can leave when you're done."

"Bye." Troy stated as she walked out of the door. She didn't reply. She brushed past Jesse and headed down the stairs. Jesse turned and smirked.

"Bye bye." He stated; mockingly.

"You're a real good piece of work, you know that?" Troy stated maliciously at him now that Sharpay was out of earshot. Jesse continued to smile shamelessly.

"Nighty, night." He responded and walked off.

Troy watched him go; a murderous look in his eyes. God, he hated that guy.

He closed the door behind him and went back to sit on the couch. The ending credits of 30 Rock scrolled by on the screen. He sighed. He had been so lonely when he had been in Albuquerque and away from Sharpay. Now he was here; right next to her and he felt lonelier than ever. It was because she was running away from him... and he didn't blame her one bit. What else could she do?

* * *

**AN: Just wanted to say thank you for the name suggestions – I went with Michael because Michael Jackson did mean a lot to me and it's nice that I can kind of immortalise him in my writing – everyone is immortalising him in their own way and this is my way. So thank you for that one! As well as that; I just wanted to clear up something about Ryan; given the storylines around him up until now you should know Ryan is bisexual. He can attracted to either gender... 'cos he's cool like that. I just thought it would be interesting to involve Abigail as an interest for Ryan considering he is still a teenager but he's been thrown into a very adult world and the only way I think he can survive is by changing everything he was before coming out to NYC. **

**Anyways, review please =] **

**PLEASE?**

**PLEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAASE? =]  
**


	9. STOLEN

Hey, guys.

The next chapter is coming very soon but this is just a quick note to pretty much advertise another story that I'm working on.

It is not based on any TV show, book or movie although it is inspired by a mixture of shows like Gossip Girl and Twilight. It is a strange mix, I know.

I just uploaded the first chapter so if you go to my main page and check out my new story **- STOLEN -** and read it and review; I would really, really appreciate it.

The chapter is less than a paragraph long.

I just want some feedback so I know what I'm writing isn't complete drivel and nonsense and so I'm not wasting my time.

Thank you!

_ZacEfronFiction_

_xoxo_


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